Shawty Get Loose
by in.sync.with.life
Summary: Woodland Hills Boarding School, where anything goes. Brooklynn Davis is sweet, sassy, and just so happens to have caught the eye of Shane Gray, whose flirty, cocky, and just so happens to be chasing after Brook too.
1. Audition Form

Storyline-

Let's start from the beginning shall we? Woodland Hills Boarding School, practically shouts preppy shit to your face. Nestled in the Colorado mountains, this prestigous boarding school is the least of your worries, yeah, the teachers might be strict, but what goes on in the halls and dorm rooms, they have no idea. They've got practically everything to themselves and you'd better know what's going on or else you slip and when you do, it's hard to get back up.

I need some characters for the story, yes I know, you're probably like, she doesn't even update her other stories, but it's only because I like creating things at the same time, so when I loose intrest for a while on one story, I work on another until I get interested again. So...yeah.

The main character is Brooklynn Davis, she doesn't take any crap from anyone, she's tough, but she loves her two best friends, one of them happens to be her roomate. She's got dark, dark brown hair with stone gray eyes. She's a junior and just happens to be crushing on the cockiest of the jocks, Joe Jonas.

So I'll need-

The Bestie (of course)-

Roomate-

Other Bestie-

Her Two Roomates (Fairly aquainted with Brook and her friends, so they don't show up as often.)-

School Snob-

Her little Amber and Ashley possy-

Love Intrests for Kevin and Nick-

* * *

Info-

Full Name

Nickname

Age

Hair

Eyes

Which Part You Want

Personality

And the little details, like your phone or if you wear contacts and stuff...

Please submit in a review! Thanks and I hope you like, now I've got to finish some chapters. :)

PS. This story might have some swearing in it, so if you don't swear, then please do tell.


	2. She's Got Your Back!

(AN- This is slowly starting things out and I've got more people showing up in the next chapter! If you've got any questions, don't be afraid to ask in a comment or PM or anything! I don't bite :) So please review!)

Chapter 1

She's Got Your Back

Brooklynn Davis sighed, twisting her side bangs as her third period World History teacher, Mr. Martinez babbled along, critiquing another student about their essay that was due today. He shoved his out of date glasses further up the bridge of his nose as he pointed out what the student did wrong. Who gives a shit? I mean in twenty years, this crap will be history. Do. Not. Care. Right behind Brook was one of her best friends and roomie, Briana May Otero, or Bri, whatever the hell works. And directly across Brook was Joseph Adam Jonas, the school stud. Gets with every other girl he can and flirts constantly, even his backside was drop dead gorgeous, but whose looking?

He stood 5'10 or so, shaggy black hair, and melting hazel eyes. Every ones dream guy, good thing he wasn't an only child. From what Brook found out he had two brothers, Nick and Kevin. Nick was almost the complete opposite of Joe, quiet, shy, and drops hints that he's flirting. Super curly brown hair, deep brown eyes, about 5'7 or so, and he was only a sophomore while their oldest brother, Kevin, was teaching the music class at Woodland Hills. From what Brook had heard, he looked almost exactly like Nick, but every morning he flattened his hair and spiked it, which was uber sexy. Dark brown locks and those caring brown eyes, you couldn't go wrong with any of them. Which made them even hotter was the music they played, they were trying to start a band- Jonas Brothers. Who knew?

"Brook!" Briana's voice was low and frantic as Brook heard shuffling of papers. "I can't find my essay, I swear I brought it," she muttered as she went through her binders and folders.

Brook slowly leaned back in her desk for better hearing. "Are you fucking serious?" She whispered behind her. "Did you even write it?"

"Yes!" Briana nodded vigorously, her brown eyes frantic as she continuously searched for the four and a half long page that was due only the second day back to Woodland Hills. "Can you distract Mr. Martinez while I sneak out or something?"

"What the fuck?" Brook hissed. "Are you insane?"

"My mom's going to kill me if she finds out I didn't turn in an essay the _second_ day back," Briana whispered urgently. "And you know what that means..."

"Fuck," Brook muttered as she quickly schemed. "Ok, I've got it. Get your purse ready."

"Ok, but why?" Briana asked, startled that her friend had planned so quickly.

"Don't ask," Brook advised, twisting one of two rings before she slid out on her seat, then fell to the floor in a fake coughing fit.

Mr. Martinez turned, his eyes narrowed at the sight of a student on the floor, coughing hysterically. "What's wrong with her?" He asked anxiously, stepping forward in his ever shiny black dress shoes.

Brook coughed before she began wheezing and Briana jumped up. "Her asthma! She needs her inhaler," Briana shrieked as her best friend role.

"Are you her roommate?" Mr. Marinez questioned and Briana nodded frantically. "Go get it," he ordered. "You probably know where it is and if you get stopped, tell them to come to me."

Briana nodded before she took off in all of her Woodland Hills Boarding School uniform, yes, they sucked. The only day to dress in what you wanted was Friday, casual Friday.

"I'll need someone to support her head so her airways won't be congested," Mr. Martinez instructed as he read through a pamphlet that was taped to the door by the pencil sharpener. "Ah, Mr. Jonas, I'll have you do that for me," he urged, flapping his hands for emphasis.

Brook let out a huge cough in surprise as Joe got out of his seat and got down on his knees, holding her head there gently. He bent his head down when Mr. Martinez began to hyperventilate and whispered. "Nice acting," he flashed her a dazzling smile.

"How'd you figure?" Brook said in between coughs, clutching her stomach for emphasis.

"Besides the loud whispering, I think most of this class could figure it out," He produced a small smirk and brushed her side bangs out of her face with a free thumb and raised an eyebrow ever so slightly as Brook's chest began to hurt from all of the fake coughing and wheezing. Briana owed her big time for all this painful shit. "By the way, I'm Joe," he added.

"I know," Brook whispered, pausing her coughing to wheeze. "I'm --"

"Brook," Joe nodded knowingly. "Miss Brooklynn Davis, I know," he gave a half shrug and a sheepish smile.

_Perfect white teeth,_ Brook sighed. _God, only when I'm acting he notices me._ "Can you still hear me, Miss Davis?" Mr. Martinez asked loudly, waving a pudgy hand in her face.

Brook nodded as Briana burst through the door with her purse on her shoulder and Brook's light sky blue inhaler that she had used last almost seven years ago, her mother insisted on taking it for emergencies. Briana tossed it to Joe who handed it to Brook, who shook it quickly and pumped it into her mouth, breathing heavily.

"Let's give her a moment," Mr. Martinez said as he tried to calm himself down. "Thank you, Miss Otero," he added to Briana, who was hovering anxiously behind Joe. She flashed Brook a small, triumphant smile and smirked.

Brook placed her inhaler on her chair and used her hands to prop herself up, her face flushed and her throat sore, it was then she realized she was leaning on Joe's leg, his muscled leg. _Shit, there I go again,_ Brook muttered to herself.

"Can you stand up, Miss Davis?" Mr. Martinez asked, returning to the front of the class with a look of pure horror.

"I-I think so," She croaked.

"Would you like some water?" He pressed anxiously, prepared to send another student to the cafeteria for a bottle of water from the lunch ladies.

"No thank you," Brook shook her head and fanned herself down as she picked up the medical device on her chair and slid it into her pocket. "I think I'm ok," she added dramatically. "You owe me big time," she muttered behind her.

"You're such a drama queen," Briana giggled.

"Miss Otero! Since you're talking, I'd like you to come up front and read your essay aloud," Mr. Martinez shot a look in their direction, one of no tolerance allowed in his classroom.

Briana stood up, straightened that gay navy skirt thing we had to wear, and calmly walked to the front of the class, shooting Brook a look before she started.

* * *

"Hey Ashleigh," Briana waved to Brook's older cousin. "Did I ever tell you that your sister can act?"

"Yes, many times," Ashleigh nodded, looking up from her circle of senior friends. "What'd she do today? Nosebleed?"

"What _didn't_ she do?" Briana giggled. "She faked an asthma attack," she grinned, bobbing her head in excitement.

"No!" Ashleigh and her friends gasped. "How'd it go?"

"Worked, third period, Mr. Martinez," Briana informed her.

"Sweetness," Ashleigh nodded with a sidelong glance as Brook walked up. "Nicely done," she commented.

"Thank you," Brook grinned, taking a fake bow. "Are you going out to the barn later?"

"Probably," Ashleigh nodded, tucking a stray piece of her side bangs back, her 5'6 frame slightly smaller than Brook's 5'7 1/2. Both were identically slim and fit with similar personalities, although Ashleigh doesn't swear as much.

"Cool," Brook nodded, shifting her load of a text book, a binder, and two compositions books from her hands to hugging her chest. "We've got..."

"Lunch," Briana interjected. "Where we're supposed to meet Michelle, Shayla, Karen, and Kristen for lunch," she emphasized.

Michelle Samson was Brook and Briana's other roommate. Shayla Nyxon their long lost younger sister and bestie, she was awesome too, while her two roommates were Karen Vasquez and Kristen Millan, both were fairly acquainted with Brook and Briana.

"Oh, right," Brook nodded. "Is --"

"EW! Get away from us!" Came the ear splitting voice of the bitchiest girl at Woodland, Isabella Gonzales, she's almost 16 and thinks she rules the world. If you don't hang with her, you're considered emo, gay or lesbian, your choice, or a loser. Then you've got the crowd of girls -the gigglers- always behind her, thinking they were just as popular. It was absolutely disgusting. Isabella could be nice _if_she tried, if being the key word there. Her right arm was Jessica Miller and her left arm was Sarah Coughlin, plus she needed a backside, so she had girls coming and going everyday. It was not only disgusting, but fucked up. "What a nerd!" She exclaimed loudly while the gigglers snickered and echoed her.

Brook and Briana glanced down the hall to see a poor girl who was practically pushed up against her locker looking completely lost, she looked about 14 with brunette hair and side bangs, with brown eyes, her cell phone clutched in her hand.

"Not another one," Briana frowned, shaking her head before she took off with a long legged stride towards Isabella. "Back off preppy, shit, I'm surprised you're still here after failing almost every class."

"What was that?" Isabella sneered.

"Leave her alone," Brook said with a hint of annoyance, I mean, who _wouldn't_ be annoyed with Isabella and the gigglers. "And go back to Mario Land where you rule the fake world Princess Peach because you definitely aren't wanted here."

Isabella huffled before she stalked down the hall with the gigglers following, sending Briana, Brook, and the other girl dirty looks. Brook smiled sweetly and stuck up one finger as Isabella turned. "Nice talking to you!"

"You ok?" Briana asked. "Isabella can be a complete bitch sometimes," she said. "I'm Briana by the way," she added.

"Brook," she stated with a simple small, friendly smile.

"I'm Jenessa Raquel Brown, but you can call me Sa or Essa," She stammered, her brown eyes glassy with fear as she timidly stuck her books into her locker.

"What period do you have next?" Briana asked.

Jenessa brought out her rumpled class schedule and handed it to Briana without another word.

"Lunch, perfect!" Briana smiled. "You can come with us if you want, we're meeting up with some friends."

"Sure," Jenessa smiled shyly before closing her locker.

"Who are your roomies?" Brook asked, easily keeping pace with the two as they strode down the hall and made a sharp turn to their left.

"Huh?" Jenessa asked.

"Your roommates?" Briana prompted.

"Oh," Jenessa nodded in sudden realization. "Um, a girl named...Jessie Michelle and," she paused in deep thought. "Ariana Naomi and Hayley Heath."

"You've got three roomies?" Brook blurted, most rooms held three girls or boys.

Jenessa simply nodded. "I'm not sure where they went though," she admitted. "But I think we're getting another roommate, so they're giving us a connecting room. Her name is...Carrah Roberts, I think."

"They're cheerleaders," Briana said in realization. "They like hitting on the jocks."

"Thank you Briana," Brook snorted as they entered the cafeteria and walked into line.

They grabbed their trays and began picking at the large array of food that was set out. Brook stared at Jenessa in surprise when she pilled her plate with anything potato, fries, little potato bites, hashbrowns, baked potatoes.

Jenessa looked up and blushed. "I like potatoes," she announced as she forked another spoonful of potato bites.

"Um...ok?" Briana said, making a weird face exchange with Brook.

"Hey Brooky," The girl's other cousin, Carmen smiled as she passed with a tray.

"Hi Carmen," Brook returned the smile as she picked up one of the salads. "How'd music class go?" She teased, knowing very well she had a liking for the eldest Jonas, who helped teach the class while he took online classes for a nearby college.

Carmen blushed. "It was ok," she giggled, which gave Brook the complete opposite idea of it.

Instead of eating in the teachers lounge, Kevin liked sitting with his brothers most of the time, enjoying how their first classes went.

"He invited me to sit with him," Carmen blurted. "Like...outside."

"Are you going?" Brook asked, grabbing those straight cruton things for her salad and a pinch of cucumbers.

"I think so," Carmen nodded, still bright pink. "He's pretty nice and stuff," she added with a wistful tone.

"But you'd like to get to know him better," Brook sighed loudly in exaggeration. "I've heard all of that shit before, now go before he ditches you for the plastics," the plastics were pretty self-explanatory, a group of girls with too much money and too little time to live, according to them, so they had at least a couple procedures done already.

"Ok," Carmen squealed before regaining composure and walking over to where Kevin was leaning in the doorway, sipping a Red Bull.

"Jenessa, what house are you in?" Briana asked.

There were two houses for each 'gender', four total. For the girls, there was Chestnut and Maple Hill, each held about 50 dorms each, so it was a small boarding school for 6th grade and up. The guys houses were Oak and Redwood Hill, talk about gay, huh? They had a huge building used for exams and anything you could think of, which included movie nights, dances, and parties, which was Pine Hill. But overall the school itself was pretty big, it had almost everything you needed for sports and activites.

"We're in Maple," Jenessa said after a moment of thought.

"Oh, too bad, we're in Chestnut Hill," Briana said sympathetically.

"Oh, hey! There they are," Jenessa said excitedly. "I'll see you around?"

"Sure," Brook nodded as they watched Jenessa pace away with her tray of potatoes. "Interesting girl," she commented.

"Ya think?" Briana asked, watching as she greeted her roommates and sat down before she dug in. "I see Shay," she nodded towards a large table by the fireplace. It was the begining of September, it's friggen cold in Colorado.

"Cool," Brook nodded before they abandoned their places in the lunch line and made their way to the table which Shayla Nyxon and a couple of other girls they knew had reserved. "Hi," she said cheerfully as she sat down next to Michelle.

"Hey," They chorused.

"I heard something happened in third period," Kristen asked giddily.

"Brook's a nice actress,"


	3. All American

(AN- More characters show up and get mentioned in this story, even if I've already chosen, you can still submit something if you want to be mentioned or something in the story and _It's About Time_ didn't happen, but they do sing some of the songs on it, they're basically doing their self entitled album, but I'm not sure if they'll eventually get signed though...)

Chapter 2

All American

The talking subsided and Brook recognize Joe as he took it too himself to squish in next to Brook. "Hey," he said with a flawless smile.

"No offense, but what the hell are you doing here?" Briana blurted, her eyes wide with curiosity as she dropped her half raised fork with a small noise, pushing her tray a couple inches to let her arms rest.

Joe looked startled. "I saw you two in line and just wanted to stop by and say hi," he said simply with a lazy shrug as he twitched and his bangs flew to the side of his face as he set his hands on the table in a folded pile.

"Just to say hi?" Briana scoffed. "I'll believe that shit when --" she was almost immediately cut off by Shayla's hand.

"Continue," Shayla smiled innocently.

"Maybe we can catch up later," He suggested. "A tan beauty like you doesn't come around too often," he said with a sly wink and a simple knock on the table before he retreated, returning to his own clique where the cheerleaders hug on him and his brother like they were pieces of meat.

"Even _you_have to admit that was extremely cheesy, especially for an ass like him," Briana pointed out the blindingly obvious.

"That was pretty cute though, I think I saw his ears turn pink," Karen giggled, her choppy dark brown hair in a ponytail as she snuck a glance at their table.

"Ohmygod, that was so cliche!" Kristen chimed with an amused expression as she stool a pizza bite from Michelle.

"He was only being nice because he felt sorry for you," Isabella's high pitched whine stated from nearby.

"I don't see him talking to you," Shayla pointed out with an ever sweet smile.

Isabella opened her mouth to speak, but huffed once more before she stalked over to the iced drink area in the buffet area.

"Dork," Briana muttered with one last cold look at her backside before she stabbed her fork into her mac n cheese before taking a huge bite. Life was good.

* * *

"Can you turn that shit down?" Brook complained as Briana and Michelle battled out on the Wii.

Every dorm came with a sick entertainment system, but you had to provide games and the actual playing devices, but even I had to admit that was friggen awesome.

"Lighten up!" Briana squealed as she dodged whatever screwed up ailen bunny that was escaping her grasp.

"_I_ am trying to do work so I don't have to fake a fucking heart attack next," Brook snapped, returning to her Chemistry book, which was worn from at least five years of use.

"Let's go to the indoor jacuzzi!" Michelle suggested.

As I said, it was fucking awesome to get into this school. The lifestyles of the rich and not yet famous.

"Do you even know who goes in there?" Brook sighed, her focus of work completely thrown out of the window. "And I refuse to go into that indoor pool," she added with a stubborn cross of her arms.

"You're such a downer," Briana rolled her eyes as she picked up a jacket.

Brook glared playfully at her before she grabbed her maroon colored Hurley jacket and threw it on, checking herself in the mirror. "Let's go into the lounge," she suggested from the bathroom mirror as she applied a light layer of mascara.

"You know Isabella's always in there, though," Michelle pointed out. "She's just going to bitch about how her daddy didn't get her the latest diamond ring from Spain or whatever," she added as she grabbed cell phone and shoved it deep into her pocket.

"Ugh, you're right," Brook nodded, walking over to her desk and grabbing her iPhone where she had a new text from a unknown number. _Hey, meet me in front of Oak in five?_

"What the hell?" Brook asked aloud. "Bri, do you recognize this number?" She asked, tossing the phone to her friend, who shook her head and chucked it to Michelle.

"Nope," she shook her head, tossing it back to Brook.

"Should I go?" Brook asked.

"Ask who it is first," Briana suggested in her ever so smart tone.

"Nice," Brook nodded approvingly, her side bangs slipping into her face as she typed a reply. _Who the hell is this? _Might as well be blunt.

Moments later her phone rang, the same unknown number who had texted her. "Yay or nay?" Brook asked quickly as she shoved her knee high sock covered feet into her Uggs.

"Speak a different language," Michelle suggested with a squeal of laughter.

"I can't!" Brook squealed before she slid the button across the screen and answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's, uh, Joe," The very masculine voice stammered from the other line.

"This is your number?" Brook asked as Briana opened the door and Michelle followed, kicking the door open for me.

"Yeah," He said. "Are you free this afternoon?"

Brook mouthed the question to Briana and Michelle before they both vigorously shook their heads. 'Play with him, see if he'll stick around,' Michelle mouthed suggestively.

Brook nodded eagerly before she answered. "Sorry, I'm hanging out with some friends..."

"Who?" Joe asked curiously, a visible confused face came to Brook's mind as she, Briana, and Michelle walked down the stairs of Chestnut Hill's second story.

"Friends," Brook said nonchalantly as they began their walk across the icy lawn towards the school grounds for a cup of hot chocolate in the cafeteria, which was open basically all day. "Whose asking?"

"Joseph Adam Jonas is asking," He declared.

"Sounds like someones got an ego," Brook grinned into the mouthpiece as she picked up her pace to match her best friend and roommate's fast moving pace.

"Come with me to the back to school dance," He blurted into the phone.

"Smooth move Jonas, but are you sure you won't want to ask those plastics or gigglers?" Brook prompted into the phone, feeling a light blush creep up the side of her neck.

"Who?" He asked in complete confusion.

"Never mind," Brook said dismissively. "Besides, I like guys who stick to one girl at a time," she added just for amusement.

"Ouch, Miss Davis, that hurt," Joe chuckled softly form the other end. "Who says I can't do that?"

"I've seen you around school since last year, Joe," Brook pointed out. "I'm not stupid and you had at least three girls on you arm at a time."

"Sounds like someones jealous," Joe taunted.

Click.

Brook didn't feel up to hearing Joe's cockiness, especially over the phone. "Did you just hang up on him?" Michelle cocked an eyebrow at her roommate in surprise. "Too much ego for you?"

"Yes," Brook breathed, grabbing a Styrofoam cup and filling it up with hot chocolate before she and the other two walked over and sat down in the suede chairs by the fireplace. "Warmth," she cooed.

"You're such a dork," Briana laughed as her phone rang again. "Shit, he does not give up, does he?"

"Apparently not," Brook sighed as she answered her phone once more. "Lo?"

"Flo Rida," Joe's voice blurted once more. "Did you hang up on me?"

"Want me to demonstrate how I did that?" Brook asked dryly, setting her warm cup down.

"No, no," Joe assured her quickly. "That's ok."

"Nice to hear," Brook nodded, taking another sip.

"So why won't you go with me?" Joe pressed eagerly.

"As I said before, you're a jock. Jocks don't stay with one chick for more than two weeks tops," Brook stated with a simple shrug. "And they either get bored or do something incredibly stupid."

"You said you've seen me around last year," Joe cajoled. "When was the last time I messed around behind someones back or did something 'incredibly stupid'?" He asked, using his words carefully.

"As I said, I love demonstrating how to hang up on people," Brook snorted.

"Fine, ok, I'll drop it, but give me one good reason why you won't come with me," Joe challenged with a visible phone smirk from the other line.

"I'm not going to become arm candy so you can look good," Brook snapped. "Loyalty means something to me," she added icily before she hung up once more.

"Ouch, that wasn't too harsh?" Michelle winced.

Brook glared at her before she took another sip of her hot drink.

* * *

"Did you get number seven?" Brook asked, sprawled out on her bed with her math book in one corner and her notebook in front of her, in a pair of sweatpants and a Woodland Hills hoodie jacket.

"I got 17 to the second power," Briana said mindlessly, her legs almost touching her back from her spot on the only individual twin. "What'd you get?"

"Same," Michelle agreed as she tried for the ninth problem, odds only.

_Everybody all for one!_

_A real summer has just begun._

_Let's rock and roll and just let go and feel the rhythm of the drums --_

Michelle glanced up and tucked her dark brown hair behind her ear before she reached forward and picked up her singing Razr. "Hello?"

Brook and Briana paused, listening carefully to what they could hear, which wasn't much from her spot on the top bunk. "Yeah, sure...ten? Totally," Michelle smiled into the phone.

"It's totally a party," Briana said matter-of-factly.

"Or it's a date?" Brook suggested, then paused to laugh. "It's a party," she agreed as someone knocked on the door.

Briana tossed her pencil down and rolled off the bed, walking to the door and opening it. "You," she stated, her voice visibly amused and bewildered at the sight of Joe standing in the doorway.

"Me, is Brook here?" He nodded.

"Wouldn't you like to know..." Briana lifted an eyebrow.

"Is she here or not?" Joe asked calmly, crossing his arms to lean in the doorway.

"I don't know," Briana gave a half shrug. "Brook!" she called behind her. "Nothing, sorry," she blinked as she began shutting the door.

"Hold up, I see her on the bottom bunk," Joe said, stopping the door easily with one hand.

"Whoops, covers blown B," Briana smirked before taking a step back. "Found ya."

"I wasn't hiding," Brook laughed, getting up off of her stomach and sitting Indian style on the lower bunk. "How'd you find me?" She questioned as Joe took a seat on the leather office chair sitting by the desk, turning before stopping and turning again.

"I asked around," Joe shrugged carelessly, his head twitching once more. "And what'd ya know? I found you," he tossed a small smirk in her direction as he pulled his iPhone out of his jacket and placed it carefully on the wooden desk.

"Joy," Brook said dryly, hinting sarcasm as she brushed her hair behind her ear.

"Someone sounds overjoyed to see me again," Joe smiled innocently. "But if you must know, I had to ask a _lot_ of people for your room assignment and your cell phone number."

"And you didn't get our room number?" Brook gasped in mock horror.

A smile flickered on Joe's face and Brook immediately frowned once more. "One year you're hanging on those Barbie dolls the next you're stalking me, what next Jonas?"

"Dunno," He grunted, his features alight with amusement at Brook's babbling.

"What changed Jonas?" Briana interjected, crossing her arms.

"Brook's quite dramatic performance during third period," Joe smirked, cocking an eyebrow as his deep hazel colored eyes flickered back and forth from roommate to roommate as the room phone rang.

Brook leaned forward and picked up the phone, placing it to her ear. "Hello?"

"This is her," Brook nodded, shrugging the phone to her ear as she glanced at her fingernails. "Do I have to be wearing my uniform?" She groaned, making a face at Briana, who burst out laughing. "It's almost three thirty," she answered. "Yes, sir," she sighed. "I'll be down there in five minutes," she said before hanging up. "I've got to go all of my sexy ladies," she swooned.

Joe coughed and Brook glanced sideways at him with an innocent smile. "As I said, all of my sexy ladies," she repeated as she shoved her feet into her lovable and fuzzy Uggs.

"Where do you have to go exactly?" Michelle asked after hanging up moments before.

"Headmaster's office," Brook sighed, grabbing a scrunchy and tying her hair in a messy bun. "I've got a guest waiting for me," she shrugged shyly.

"I'll escort you downstairs," Joe offered, jumping to his feet and shoving his iPhone into his jacket once more. "And I won't take no for an answer," he added quickly with a mischievous smile.

"Fine, whatever," Brook said with a defensive hand wave. "So I'll be back whenever I'm back," she said with a weird look.

"That sounds soon," Michelle stifled a giggle.

Brook grinned before Joe walked over and opened the door, holding it before the both of them walked out. "I'll email you later then," Joe said after they both had exited the Chestnut Hill dorms.

"I can't promise if I'm going to read it though," Brook said with a wry smile before she flounced away towards the headmaster's office.

* * *

"Headmaster Hamilton is ready to see you now," The secretary smiled, motioning Brook inside.

Brook nodded and stood up before she knocked softly on the door once before stepping inside. "D!" She smiled, recognizing her adoptive sister Diana sitting on the leather chair with a nervous smile plastered to her face. Brooklynn Jade Davis and Diana Faye McKenna-Davis were completely different. While Brook had long dark brown hair and stone gray eyes, Diana had short dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. "You're here!"

"I think she belongs to you, Miss Davis," Headmaster Hamilton chuckled.

"Oh!" Brook said in surprise. "Good afternoon Headmaster," she nodded politely.

"It's ok, Miss Davis," Headmaster Hamilton nodded with a graying, amused smile. He was normally friendly, but when need be, he could be pretty angry. "I've got her dorm room assignment, her class schedule, and anything else she needs, all she needs is someone to show her around."

"I'm on it," Brook promised as she grabbed the stack of papers and hoisted a duffel bag over her shoulder. "Thanks Headmaster," she called over her shoulder, he didn't mind, Brook, in his eyes, seemed like a perfect student, so he let things slid.

"Your roommates are..." Brook said as she walked up the stairs in Chestnut Hill. "Taylor Lewis, Kristina Bowman, and Anna Chung...another one? Holy shit, how many roommates are you being shoved with?" Brook exclaimed in disbelief.

"Is that good or bad?" Diana asked curiously.

"Bad, one bathroom," Brook squealed, holding out a hand, palm side up.

"Whose my other roommate then?" Diana asked, rolling a suitcase and matching backpack.

"Some chick named Rachael Osment," Brook asked, lifting an eyebrow at the piece of paper. "Anyways, if you need a bathroom, our room is right down the hall. If anything a couple rooms over."

"Cool, thanks," Diana smiled. "Where are Ashleigh and Carmen?"

"Around," Brook shrugged. "I think they're in the Maple," she added. "The daily schedule is located at the girls lounge, both upstairs and downstairs, and top and bottom of the stairs," she explained as they walked further down the hall. "The rules should be in your planner and most of them are posted right next to the daily schedule, uniforms are worn everyday but Friday and the weekend," she added with a pointed look. "Classes start at eight thirty and usually end around two fifteen and there's a bus that goes into town on the weekends every half an hour starting at nine."

"And I'm supposed to remember all of this?" Diana squealed.

"Yeah, and that's not everything," Brook grinned wryly. "The cafeteria is open until around eleven, but after nine, you make a mess, you clean it up. No opposite genders in the room passed eight and lights go out in the halls between nine thirty and ten. Not much else except that if you're getting lower than a D, you've got to go to Saturday school until it gets better."

"Ouch, I am so not failing," Diana stated with a horrified look on her face as Brook paused in front of a room that said C.H. # 48

"I know, but me, Briana, and Michelle are room 44, and Shayla's got the room right across from ours: 43" Brook said hastily as she slid the key out of the packet and shoved it into the keyhole, twisting it and opening it after Diana had knocked. "Holy shit, this room is huge!"

"Um, excuse me?" A younger girl with brown hair and blue eyes paused in front of the door with her arms crossed, while a girl slightly older with black hair and dark brown eyes looked around curiously.

"I'm Diana, I'm your new roomie," She stated with a small smile.

"Oh, you're our new roommate, I'm Kristina and this is Anna," She smiled brightly. "Our other roomie, Taylor, is out, she'll be back later," she explained shortly. "I hope you don't mind that we've already claimed beds," Kristina admitted sheepishly.

"No, I don't mind," Diana exclaimed eagerly as Brook dropped her sister's duffel bag.

"Do you need me or do you got it?" Brook asked cautiously as she reached backwards for the doorknob, still in her sweatpants and Woodland Hills jacket, her cheeks bright pink from the piercing cold wind.

"I think I've got it," Diana nodded.

"You've got my cell, right?" Brook prompted with a firm, yet teasing look.

"Yes, Brooklynn, I do," Diana giggled, sharing a small smile with her new roommates. "I'll see you at dinner?"

"Sure," Brook nodded with a small smile. "See you three around," she called as she opened the door and closed it behind her, shuffling down the hall to her own room where she threw open the door with a heavily exaggerated sigh.

"Where the hell have you been?" Briana cried, glancing up from her laptop with a startled look.

"D's here," Brook said with a flushed look. "She's got that huge ass pent house down the hall."

"Room 48?" Michelle squealed. "Or room 49 because I know room 50 is the upstairs lounge," she stated with an eager look.

"Room 48," Brook confirmed. "It's the biggest fucking room I've ever seen, I swear, it's huge!"

"I believe it," Briana nodded. "Oh, your man whore dropped off an exclusive CD from his band."

"My man whore?" Brook squealed. "You're fucked up," she giggled.

"Just listen," Briana commanded as she clicked her iTunes on her laptop, turning the volume up as a boyish sound came through the speakers.

_I told you I made dinner plans,_

_With you and me and no one else._

_That don't include your crazy friends,_

_Well I'm done (I'm done) with awkward situations empty conversations._

"Is that Nick?" Michelle gasped.

"Not anymore," Briana squealed.

_Oooh, this is an SOS,_

_Don't wanna second guess this is the bottom line it's true!_

_I gave my all for you now my hearts in two and I can't find the other half,_

_It's like I'm walking on broken glass._

_Better believe I bled..._

_It's a call I'll never get._

"Holy shit," Brook exchanged a quick glance with her roomies. "This is insane," she observed. "I'm liking this," she nodded.

"The CD or the voice behind the CD?" Briana asked wryly, tossing a piece of paper at Brook, which held a boyish scribble in a light green permanent pen.

_Brook,_

_I dropped this off, but you weren't home so I left it with Briana, just hope she didn't do anything to it. From what I've noticed, if you're as outgoing as I thought, meet me in the cafeteria at ten._

_-Joe_

Brook gave the note a weird look before she unwrinkled the notebook paper and stuck it in a folder, placing it daintily to the side of her before returning her focus to the actually pretty well written and recorded music.


	4. Outgoing?

Chapter 3

Outgoing?

Brook quirked an eyebrow before she managed to creep out of the bottom bunk and stick her sock covered feet into her oh-so famous Uggs before she slunk out of her room and quietly made her way downstairs and outside, where she clicked a button on her iPhone and saw 9:57 pm illuminated on the screen with herself, Briana, and Shayla over the summer at a water park. She shivered, glancing up ahead slightly, before she pulled her jacket closer. Why did Colorado had to be so friggen cold? I mean, yeah, it's cold at ten o'clock at night, but not as fucked as this.

She yanked open the large glass door before slipping inside, letting out a relieved sigh that she had gotten this far before any dorm adviser had stopped her to ask where she was going this late at night. Brook immediately walked over to the hot chocolate machine and poured herself a cup before she made her way to the large, suede chair where a Styrofoam cup was already sitting on the wooden table in between the two chairs.

Brook sat down and crossed her legs. "Sorry, I had to piss," he said with a tired, yet sheepish smile. "You came," he added on a brighter note.

"I came," Brook nodded with a small smile as she stifled a yawn.

"Which means you read my note," Joe added with a faint smirk as he took a sip of whatever he had to drink.

"Lime green Sharpie?" Brook coughed with an amused smile.

"It's the only thing Kevin had nearby when I asked," Joe shrugged, releasing a large yawn.

"Walk on any broken glass lately?" Brook asked with a sly smirk.

"You actually listened to that?" Joe asked in surprise, his jaw going slack. "I thought it would have been to...hardcore for you?"

"Hardcore?" Brook squealed. "Please, if anything I'm too outgoing for you," she added bravely.

"Oh?" Joe questioned, lifting an eyebrow. "You really believe that you're more outgoing than me? DJ Danga Jonas? I don't think so," he shook his head with a broad smirk plastered to his face.

"Coming from the guy who wrote it on a piece of notebook paper in a lime green Sharpie," Brook returned. "I think not," she shook her head, pursing her lips as she stood up.

Joe chuckled softly before he too stood up. "You, a measly little school girl, think you can take on me, a totally hot rockstar," he boasted.

"Totally hot rockstar?" Brook scoffed. "Someones ego is officially bigger than his brain."

He took a small step forward before glancing up again. "Me? Ego?"

"Need me to speak a little slower?" Brook asked returning the small step.

"Oh, now dissing me on my speech?" He cocked his head sideways.

"As I sa--" He dipped his head down and pressed his lips against Brook's in hopes of shutting her up, Joe's hand grasped the back of her neck and she just stood there numbly.

"Mr. Jonas!" A sharp voice rang through the cafeteria. "Miss Davis! Headmaster's office! Now!"

Joe stumbled backwards, his eyes wide with surprise and Brook slowly lifted a hand to her lips, which were slowly drying up.

"I said _now_!" Brook recognized the man as Mr. Wood, the Biology teacher.

Brook jumped forward with a start and followed Mr. Wood as he lead them towards the Headmaster's office.

* * *

"My mom is not going to appreciate if she gets a call at ten o'clock at night," Brook muttered, lacing her fingers together as her leg twitched. "She's going to murder my skinny ass."

"FYI Davis," Joe whispered, giving no indication he was talking. "Your ass isn't skinny."

"Miss Davis, why don't you join the Headmaster now," Mr. Wood frowned.

Brook nodded solemnly before she got up and skirted into the Headmaster's office, he looked disheveled and none too happy to be awake this late at night.

"Have a seat," Headmaster Hamilton sighed, nodding towards a seat. "Can you tell me why Mr. Wood found you and Mr. Jonas in the cafeteria this late at night, showing some...unnecessary affection towards each other?"

Brook froze. "I couldn't sleep and I needed a walk, so I ended up in the cafeteria and it just so happened that Joe was there too," she blurted. "And we started debating something that just came to mind and it was kind of a spur of the moment thing," she blinked, hoping that Headmaster Hamilton would believe that.

"Why don't we have Mr. Jonas confirm that?" He suggested, motioning at Mr. Wood.

"Have a seat, Mr. Jonas," Headmaster Hamilton motioned at the seat next to Brook. "Would you like to tell us why you and Miss Davis were out of your dorms late at night expressing public displays of affection?"

Joe nearly snorted out loud. "I couldn't sleep and usually a late night walk helps me fall asleep, so I wanted a warm drink to see if that'd help and I ran into Brook there, so we talked for a little until we just starting arguing about something totally random," Joe explained shortly. "And we sort of had a spur of the moment thing," he added.

"Their story checks out," Mr. Wood pointed out from his solemn spot by the edge of Headmaster Hamilton's desk.

"It does," Headmaster Hamilton nodded in agreement. "You do realize that this is need of a severe punishment, right?"

"Yes," They both mumbled, their heads hang in shame.

"The two of you are to go straight to your dorms after dinner, no sidetracks, and you'll stay on campus for the next two weekends," Headmaster Hamilton sighed, watching the two with careful eyes. "No after school activities until then," he added. "Now get straight to bed, Mr. Wood will personally escort you to your houses. I want you awake during all of your classes tomorrow."

Brook and Joe slid out of their leather chairs before Mr. Wood followed them outside and back to their houses.

* * *

Brook sighed before she slammed her palm on the alarm clock and walked groggily into the bathroom where she turned the faucet, threw her hair into a messy bun, and thrust her hands underneath the cold water before throwing the water onto her face with an inaudible mumble.

Brook poked her head out of the bathroom briefly before whipping the pillow out from under the only single twin bed and slapping Briana with it, she woke up with a startled shriek and almost fell off the bed. "What the fuck?" She squealed.

"Get up you little --" Brook smacked her again.

"Shit, what crawled up your ass this morning?" Briana snapped, rubbing her temples as she sat up in bed.

"House arrest," Brook blurted, shuffling back into the bathroom. "And wake up Michelle," she added.

"House arrest? What the hell are you talking about?" Briana snorted, climbing the ladder that led to Michelle's bunk.

"Mmm, nothing, never mind," Brook shook her head quickly as she grabbed that gay ass uniform that she wore almost everyday as she texted Shayla and Diana to see if they were awake.

Briana gave her backside a weird look before she continued to wake up Michelle. "Shay's up," Brook commented moments later. "I don't think that D's up though," she added.

"Grumpy this morning, aren't we?" Michelle croaked.

"Hell yeah," Brook snorted. "I'm hungry, can we get moving?" She added impatiently as she applied her usual light layer of mascara.

"Yeah...sure," Briana nodded slowly as she walked over to the CD player and turned it on, skipping through until a firm tempo began to play throughout the dorm room.

_I woke up...on my roof with my brothers,_

_There's a whale...in the pool with my mother._

_And my dad...paint's the house different colors,_

_Where would we be, if we couldn't dream?_

_And I know we get a little crazy,_

_And I know we get a little loud._

Brook groaned as she began French braiding her own hair (it's possible, I can only do one side, so its not much of any use...), making sure she didn't miss any stray strands of hair.

Michelle jumped off of her bunk in her Hello Kitty pajama pants and began crazy dancing with Briana.

* * *

"Aren't you hungry at all?" Shayla asked worriedly, watching as Brook poked at her little square potatoes.

"Not really," Brook said uneasily, poking at her plate with her silver fork, dazed. She still hadn't told anyone about last nights incident with Joe Jonas.

"You look...off," Karen Vasquez observed gently. "Tired?"

"No, just..." Brook paused.

"Um, hi."

Joe stood there, empty tray in hand, standing awkwardly in front of the table.

"Hey," Brook said with a small nod. "Done eating?"

He lifted his tray up slightly and nodded. "Not hungry?"

"Not really," Brook admitted.

"Let's take a walk before class starts," He suggested with a hopeful smile.

"I'd love to!" Isabella squealed, hooking her arm through his with a sneering look at Brook. "I can burn some more calories! Thanks for asking Joe!"

"Um..." Joe said slowly.

"Hey, it's cool," Brook gave a half shrug. "Go walk with your bitch, it's no big," she forced a small smile on her face and blinked innocently.

Isabella gasped and grasped Joe's upper arm. "Did you hear that Joe? She called me a bitch!"

"I did hear," Joe nodded, a faint smirk poking at his lips.

"And?" Isabella shrieked, her mouth agape as she practically threw herself onto Joe, clinging onto him like there was nothing to live for.

"Just go before she acquires pimples, which leads to a bigger mask," Brook said calmly, urging him to leave with a simple flick of the wrist.

Joe opened his mouth but Isabella dragged him away before he could get anything out, his choppy stride almost tripped the Ice Queen as she gushed on and on about nothing. Torture, I know.

"It's Joe, isn't it?" Shayla asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"What happened?"Kristen Millan asked, looking genuinely interested.

"Oh, you know, the regular, a note, a ten o'clock cafe meeting, aruging, a kiss, Headmaster's office, detention, and being escorted by Mr. Wood back to our own dorms," Brook sighed.

"You kissed Joe fucking Jonas?" Briana hissed, her eyes glowing at the thought. "Then why the hell is it so awkward between the two of you?"

"Yes and I have no clue," Brook shrugged, getting up. "I'll meet you guys in class, I need some air." And with that, Brook walked away, leaving her friends just as stunned as she was.

"Brook!" A shaggy brown haired boy with electrifying green eyes called, his lips parted in a welcoming smile as he stopped to catch his breath in the higher altitude.

"Chester," Brook's lips curled in a smile of her own. Chester Wilcox was a star football player that took it to himself to play a role as Brook's older brother. "Where've you been these last two days, you faggot?" She laughed as one of the toughest members on the football team gave her a swift bear hug, swinging her in a quick circle before he dropped her carefully to the ground.

"Here and there, you little prick," Chester shook his head in amusement. "Still crushing on that Jonas kid?"

"You should know, dickhead," Brook's eyes narrowed playfully. "If you had bothered to answer your texts, then you'd know," she added, cocking an eyebrow as he motioned for them to keep moving.

"You know you're the only one who can get away with calling me those fucked up names, right?" Chester let out a low chuckle as he tugged at the tip of one of Brook's French braids.

"That's why I do it," Brook smiled.

"You're really something, Davis," He grunted.

"If the shoe fits," Brook beamed, poking his stomach once.

"So is this the year Davis and Jonas collide or what?" Chester asked. "Cuz I swear, your rambling is getting old and too girlie."

"Maybe," Brook answered with a coy smile. "Did you hear about third period with Mr. Martinez?"

"Oh yeah," He nodded eagerly.

"He's kind of...hinted that he's into me," Brook blushed. "Or at least I think so, but I'm not the best guy reader out there."

"He thinks he can take on _the _Brooklynn Davis?" Chester snorted. "That should be interesting."

"Oh c'mon Ches, don't you think that digging around for my cell number is hinting something?" Brook giggled.

"The first signs of becoming a stalker?" Chester smirked.

"Something reasonable?" Brook retorted, shifting her bag into a more comfortable position as they took their time walking to their first class.

"In my eyes, that guy is a fucking pimp," Chester grunted.

"I know, you've already told me that," Brook sighed. "He's a player, but can you at least try and trust him? For now?"

"Yeah, I guess," Chester nodded, blinking slowly. "But the second he even _thinks_ of playing you, I'm going to kick his ass back to fag land."

"Ches," Brook rolled her eyes, slapping his shoulder. "Be nice? Please?" She pleaded, giving him a hopeful smile.

"For now," He shrugged.

* * *

"Brook!" Chester sounded angry and annoyed at the same time. "Brooklynn Davis, ass here, now!"

"Yes Chester?" Brook glanced up from her spot at the table, book in hand. "I'm reading."

"Please tell me these rumors are actually rumors," Chester said with a heavy sigh as he repeated last nights events to Brook, his eyes wondering to her guilty expression. "Where's Jonas? I'm going to kick his mother --"

"No Ches, stop. You promised," Brook jumped up, dropping her book as she grabbed Chester's arm. "It was..."

"Nothing? Don't give me that shit, B," Chester shook his head in aggravation, his green eyes were now a forest green and his jaw was taut. "He needs to learn some sense."

"It took two to tango, Chester, please, just don't do anything until the end of the week," Brook begged. "Let him do something, if he doesn't, then do whatever the hell you do, but for now, please leave it. I literally _just_ got off of the phone with my parents," she sighed.

"Hey Brook! You'll never guess what happened!" Angel Miller, president of the drama class, exclaimed.

"Hey, we're kind of talking here," Chester growled.

"No, we're not," Brook shook her head with a firm look. "I'll text you later, Ches."

"Whatever," He said with a shrug before he walked away.

"So what's happened?" Brook asked.

"Our new play, you'll never guess what it is," Angel squealed. "_High School Musical 2_!"

"Are you serious?" Brook asked in surprise.

"Yeah and you're a shoo-in for the part of Gabriella," Angel nodded eagerly.

"Gabriella? As in Gabriella Montez?" Brook blurted.

"Yeah," Angel nodded. "Aren't you excited?"

"Um..." Brook paused, glancing down briefly at the cover of her book before looking back up again. "I guess, I'm not really a drama person. So how am I a shoo-in?."

"Miss Davis, Headmaster Hamilton is looking for you," Ms. Lopez smiled, cutting into the conversation and Angel's hopefully informing answer.

"Oh, ok. See you around Angel?" Brook nodded, getting to her feet.

"Ok! Bye Brook," Angel giggled before she skipped away happily.

"Do you know why Headmaster Hamilton is looking for me?" Brook asked, shoving her bookmark into her book. "I mean, I'm not doing anything wrong, am I?"

"Oh, no Miss Davis, Headmaster Hamilton has a proposition for you," Ms. Lopez explained gently as they began their walk. The soft spoken Spanish teacher walked along the path towards the main office.

* * *

"I've heard Miss Davis is an excellent actress," Headmaster Hamilton smiled warmly. "So in exchange for your punishment, I want you to try out for the play."

_"High School Musical 2_, you've got to be kidding me," Brook muttered anxiously.

"It's either audition for the school play or keep both of your punishments," Headmaster Hamilton pointed with his thumb as he nudged his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.

"I-I don't act," Joe said.

"When your mother and I spoke this morning, she said you were quite the actor yourself, Mr. Jonas," The Headmaster replied with a bemused expression. "Even if the both of you do not make it, your punishment is waved. So will you try out or keep you two week punishment?"

"I'll do it," Brook sighed, brushing her side bangs out of her vision, her hair still pinned in two French braids.

"What about you, Mr. Jonas?" Headmaster Hamilton smiled.

"Fine," Joe agreed. "Can I please go? I'm late for my fifth period government class with Mr. Adders."

"I'm late for Trig with Mr. Nicholas," Brook added.

"I'll write the both of you a note and I expect some practicing for the winter play," The Headmaster said before he began writing two seperate notes.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Brook muttered as she flawlessly wrote her signature down for the winter play tryouts.

"I can't believe you're doing this," Shayla snorted as she watched her friend skeptically.

"I can't believe I had to learn that you and pretty boy kissed and got caught by a teacher from Chester," Briana grinned, holding two different colored composition books while she overlooked her friends reluctance.

"Who are you trying out for?" Karen asked.

"I have to have a go at all of them," Brook groaned.

"Ouch, that's even worse," Kristen commented.

"Good thing theirs a party tonight behind the baseball field," Michelle smiled wryly.

"Freedom," Brook cooed with a wistful look as she turned around. "What time does it start?"

"Right after lights off," Michelle grinned. "It sound be ending right around midnight or so," she added.

"Total freedom," Briana agreed. "Whose going?"

"I am," Brook yelped.

"Me too," Michelle nodded.

"So are we," Karen and Kristen nodded. "Is Diana into that kind of stuff?"

"I'll text her," Brook shrugged, grabbing her iPhone and opening a new text. _Hey D, r u going to the party tonight? Brook_

_Party? What party? I'm lost. -Di_ Brook sighed aloud. "She had no idea," she grumbled.

"We're on it," Michelle and Karen said before they quickly darted away.

_I've got people coming up. Be prepared for some crazy chicks. Brook_ "Do you know which guys are going?" Kirsten asked.

"I know Chester's going and I'm pretty sure those brothers are going as well as the rest of the football and soccer team," Michelle said.

"This...this should be interesting," Briana stated with a bright expression.

* * *

Yes! I'm working in HSM2 in this story, which should be interesting, don't 'cha think? And I need roles for that too. So if you want to be Sharpay or something, just tell me who you are, so I can "check your background" from the audition and figure the parts out! Thanks and please drop a review and tell me what's up! LoL ;)


	5. Party Starter

(AN- Brook, Briana, and Joe are juniors, not seniors just in case of a sequel, but let's not get ahead of oursevles! Senior year is going to be action packed. Booyah!)

Chapter 4

Ten minutes after the lights flickered off, Brook, Briana, and Michelle jumped out of their bunks, turning on the flashlights they had hidden under their pillows. "No phones," Michelle whispered. "They might go off in the halls," she warned as she slipped out of the pair of sweatpants she was in to reveal a mini skirt and a tight v-neck that stopped right above her belly button.

Brook untied her French braids after applying a thicker amount of makeup on before she pulled out a pair of sleek leather boots with litterally, a cajillion buckles on them from the back of the closet and grabbed a light green strapless shirt with dark green and gray designs on it while Briana changed into a halter top and mini skirt combo, her hair flattened earlier and half was held up by a clip.

"Any of you going for a Jonas tonight?" Briana whispered with a hint of sarcasm.

"Screw you," Brook laughed softly.

"Depends on what's going on down there already," Michelle gave a half shrug. "But damn, Nick always looks good."

"That boy is _so_ fine," Briana taunted.

"Whatever," Michelle slapped her shoulder. "Ready? No phones, right?"

"No phones," Brook and Briana agreed.

"Let's go, no boots until we get to the front of the Chestnut Hill doors," Michelle reminded her.

"I know, now let's go!" Brook squealed, grabbing her tall leather boots that fell short of her knees.

They crept along the halls, running into Karen, who had gotten lost. They only stopped to let Brook get her boots on before they slipped out and ran towards the baseball field. They quickly ran over to the baseball field, which was farther than they remembered where, on top of the hill, they saw lights and some music and at least half of the school down there.

They made their way down the hill and Jeremy Winters, captain of the soccer team, greeted them. "Miss Brooklynn," he smiled, giving her a swift peck on the cheek. "Looking gorgeous as usual, how was your summer?"

"Thanks Jeremy, it was awesome," Brook returned his smile with a faint blush. "How was Fresno?"

"Eh, it was Fresno," He smirked before greeting Briana, Michelle, and Karen.

Brook looked around until she saw Shayla and Kristen talking to a couple of girls, glancing further ahead she saw Dylan Ryder talking to Scott Levin and Brett Oxford, all football players. Shayla waved and the group made their way over to Shayla and Kristen. "You made it!" She smiled.

"Totally," Brook nodded, sticking her thumbs into the belt loops by her back pocket. "Oh and we found...where'd she go?"

"Oh, Karen? She's about to make her move on Scott Levin from the football team," Michelle grinned wryly, watching the girl from over her shoulder as she approached the broad shouldered cutie. He was a good four inches higher than Karen, but who could resist his shaggy beach blonde hair and adorable blue eyes? Brook could, obviously, but we weren't specifically talking about her. "And if you'll excuse me, I see Nick over in that corner there," the freshmen smiled before flouncing away.

"Aren't you going to find your man whore?" Briana asked, crossing her arms with a firm look.

"No," Brook snorted. "If anything, I'm going to dance in _front _of him and play with his little jock mind," she said with a small smile.

"Nice thinking, who first?" Shayla asked, scanning whoever was there first.

"What about Sean Cross, the goalie on the soccer team?" Briana giggled.

"He has a strange name..." Kristen said slowly.

"He has a nice ass though," Briana said thoughtfully.

"Then you go dance with him, shit," Brook muttered affectionately.

"Fine then," Briana grinned before she walked away.

"That girl," Brook shook her head, watching carefully.

"Why don't you go find Chester?" Shayla asked. "He's bound to be talking to some cute guys," she pointed out.

"Anyone else want to come with?" Brook asked, rolling on some lip gloss and ending with a smack before she shoved her lip gloss into her back pocket.

"I've got my eyes on that guy over there, laters," Kristen said before slinking away.

"I guess I'll come then," Shayla smiled.

"Chester!" Brook squealed after she and Shayla had wondered around for a bit.

"Brook," He sighed teasingly over his shoulder as Brook strode forward and was at his arm in seconds. "You're really out here after getting into trouble yesterday? Are you really going to risk more detention?"

"Uh, double yeah," Brook nodded. "It's the first party of the new school year, we've got to live a little!"

"Ches, dude, going to introduce us to your...friends?" One of three guys asked, giving Chester a good humored punch on the shoulder.

"You guys remember Brook and Shayla right?" Chester grunted in annoyance.

"No ways, don't shit with us, man," Another stated, eyeing the two girls.

"Dude, I'm not, this is Brook Davis and her friend Shayla Nyxon," Chester said with an amused half smirk. "Ladies, meet Brian, Adam, and John."

Brook smiled politely and Shayla giggled, loudly.

* * *

The last thing Brook remembered was her dancing, per say, more like grinding on some senior jock when he offered her a drink and she took it. Stupid. Then she heard, "Dude, fuck off, ok? She's not your playtoy and get the fuck lost before I beat the shit out of you." Brook wasn't sure who it was, but whoever it was brought all of her friends and they dragged her home, picking her up with little giggles before they finally got to their dorm room.

"Oh...my...god," Brook groaned, blinking groggily the next morning as the alarm went off. "What the hell happened last night?"

"Some jackass gave you a drink, I told you not to take any drinks!" Michelle exclaimed with worry etched on her face. "You ok?"

"Yeah, but _fuck_, migraine," Brook mumbled. "Who gave me that shit anyways?"

"No idea, but Chester and your man whore beat the shit out of him as he tried to drag you back to the dorms," Briana said with a symathetic smile.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Brook moaned. "Wait, hold up. You said Chester and Joe," she said slowly.

"Correction, I said Chester and your man whore," Briana smiled.

"Not the time to be shitting with me," Brook warned. "But are you sure?"

"Positive," Briana nodded as Michelle climbed down from her bunk. "So how'd it go with you and Nick last night?"

Michelle turned a faint pink color and offered a smile. "No ways, you're telling us or else you don't get out," Briana smirked.

"She's telling you, I'm showering, I smell like..." Brook paused. "I-I don't even know what I smell like at this point," she groaned before staggering into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

"We'll bring you something from the cafe," Michelle called after her.

They heard an inaudible grumbling response they took as a yes before they walked across the hall and got ready there before walking down to the cafeteria and grabbing some food.

Brook walked out of the bathroom almost twenty minutes to find someone on her bed. "You're lucky I came out in clothes," She said tiredly.

"You ok?" Complete concern filled Joe's face as he stood up anxiously.

"Tired, migraine, but I'll live," Brook gave him a tired smile as she threw the towel on the rack and threw her backpack onto the desk where she shoved her iPhone and homework from the night before. "And thanks, pretty boy," she added.

"For?" He asked, resting his hand on the desk with a curious look.

"Beating the shit out of that guy who spiked my drink," Brook said with an amused smile and winced, sudden movements and bright lights are a no-no.

"Your friend helped," Joe admitted sheepishly.

"Still, you helped," Brook nodded with a small smile. "I am forever grateful," she added dramatically.

"That Headmaster dude was right, you are a good actress," Joe chuckled.

"Well, well, good thing we brought more food than one person could possibly consume on her own," Michelle giggled, holding out a tray.

"Cool," Brook nodded, taking a step sideways. "Thanks," she added with a grateful nod as she took the tray.

"Need anything else?" Briana asked, not exactly startled at Joe's presense in the room.

"No thanks," Brook flashed them a small smile and watched as their two heads disappeared and the door closed with a soft click.

"The two of you are close," Joe observed. "And that one across the hall who nearly flipped a shit when I walked up the stairs."

"Good ol' Shay," Brook laughed, then paused to cough before she sat down and picked at a chocolate chip muffin, still visibly warm. "Do you want anything?" She offered, tearing a piece of the muffin off for herself.

"No thanks, I managed a muffin before I dropped by," Joe chuckled, shaking his head. "By the looks of your face, you look totally stoned," he grinned.

Brook slapped his shoulder. "Not funny," she rolled her eyes, her mouth full of muffin.

"You know, you're one of the first girls to eat something in front of me," Joe declared. "None the less with her mouth full," he added with a sly smirk.

Brook swallowed. "You're the biggest dork ever," she stated simply. "And dorks are very annoying," she added.

"Liar," Joe coughed. "You like nerds or else you wouldn't have an 'I Like Nerds' t-shirt hanging in your closet."

"How do you even _know_ I own a shirt like that?" Brook snorted.

"Because you wore it to the last movie night last year," Joe said matter-of-factly. "We saw Stomp the Yard."

"How exactly do you know this?" Brook questioned, tipping her head to one side with curiosity burning in her eyes.

"I might not actually talk to you," Joe gave a half shrug. "But I do pay attention."

"Except in class," Brook scoffed.

"Except in class," He agreed. "Ask me any question," he challenged.

"Ok..." Brook paused. "When's my birthday?"

"December 14th," Joe sighed as though it were the easiest possible question.

"Where do I live, what kind of phone do I own, and do I wear contacts?" Brook asked as she walked into the bathroom with a large yawn.

"Fifteen minutes outside LA, iPhone, and yes," Joe stated. "Now try something hard."

"Do I have any siblings, if I do how old and do they go to this school and do I have any relatives going to this school?" Brook asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"You have a 7 year old sister named Leilani who is going to a private school in LA and an adopted sister named Diana Faye who is a junior with us," Joe's eyes narrowed in deep concentration. "And you have two cousins, Ashleigh and Carmen that are both seniors at this school, Carmen is currently flirting with my older brother," he smiled innocently. "Now think I don't pay attention?"

* * *

_He is one smart fuck._ Brook wrote in response to Briana's question.

_Besides the fact that he stalks you and whatever._ Briana nodded, twirling her hair mindlessly as their study hall teacher, Mr. Gomez tried to help a freshmen with his math homework.

_Not a point. What the hell am I going to do? He kisses me one minute and the next he's punching the shit out of a senior because they fucking spiked my drink. He has a fucked up way of flirting then._ Brook wrote, handing it to Briana.

_Good point, why the hell are we wasting paper when we could be using text?_ Briana said, pulling out her phone.

Brook stifled a laugh before she too pulled out her phone, but shoved it back into her bag when the bell rang. She and Briana stood up and grabbed their bags before walking out of class to find Chester waiting for them. "Hey Ches," Brook smiled tiredly.

"How're you holding up?" Chester demanded.

"Hold up, buddy," Brook laughed. "I'm sore, but I'll live," she admitted, pausing at her locker and grabbing a book before exchanging it and closing it. "So what's on your mind?"

"Your dude friend," Chester admitted sheepishly.

"Not you too!" Brook whined, sidestepping to avoid someone who forgot to look behind her.

"I mean this in a good way," Chester assured her. "I think he's into you."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Briana snorted from Chester's other side.

"No, I mean, really really into you," Chester flashed Briana a dirty look before he glanced at Brook for a reaction. "He was halfway across the field, dancing with some chick when he saw you passed out like that," he explained with a soft look. "He ran over and slammed that guy with a right hook," Chester grinned, demonstrating the hearty punch with a grunt.

"Does this story have a point to it?" Briana grumbled, her eyes flashed in annoyance.

"One more period," Brook chimed.

"Ok! Jeez, so I might just drop by and talk to your little friend later on," Chester said with a firm nod.

He does that with all of Brook's close guy friends except for himself. Chester was probably the most protective guy that Brook knew and it easily got annoying, especially since Chester was on the football team and he stood about 6'3 so he was pretty damn intimidating.

"Whatever, tell me if he passes or not," Brook rolled her eyes with a heavily exaggerated sigh.

"Will do," Chester nodded before he dodged left into his last period classroom of the day.

"Doesn't that get old?" Briana asked skeptically.

"You know it," Brook nodded before they made their way to their last period of the first week of school. "But it's _Chester _we're talking about."

"Yeah, well..." Briana shrugged carelessly.

* * *

"Davis! Five laps! You need to focus solely on this pattern!" Their riding instructor snapped. "Nothing else or else you won't win," she pointed to the track before she turned her focus on Ashleigh.

"Five laps?" Brook echoed, confusion sweeping onto her flawless features as she furred her eyebrows together.

"You on the ground," Ms. Lee said slowly for emphasis as though she were one of the younger students. "Horse behind you, now," she frowned warningly.

Brook's lip twitched before she swung off of her well bred, 1,000 pound animal of pure muscle, and hooked the reins through her arm before she walked out, her turquoise blue spur straps just visible under Brook's dark jeans as she stalked over to the track that was used for both practicing track and exercise riding. "You think I'm not focused enough, huh Tar?" She murmured, eyes flashing in annoyance.

Avatar snorted, his head jerked up once before he followed Brook. Avatar was Brazilian bred and boy was he spoiled, midnight black with a snippet of white on his nose, he was short, only about 14.3 hands high and was just turning 6 this year.

Woodland Hills was known for it's sports program, ranging from pole vaulting to football and diving to equestrian.

Both Brook and Ashleigh were one of the two best reining and cutting members on the team of about six total, ranging from one sixth grader to two seniors and everything in between, there were team jackets for every sport possible and it was personalized to fit each team.

"So what can't you do?" The infamous voice that Brook had gotten to know quite well since school started had asked her.

"Ah, Joe," Brook rolled her eyes. "I can't play golf for nothing and I can't really play minature golf either."

"Minature golf?" Joe snorted, jogging next to her in a pair of sweats. "Can you bowl?"

"Depends," Brook returned slyly.

"Like with a bowling ball and pins?" Joe flashed her his famous half smirk and easily kept pace with her and the 1,000 pound animal jogging close behind.

Brook nodded coyly. "I'm pretty sure I can," she smiled, glancing sideways briefly.

"Good," Joe nodded simply. "So who's your...friend?" He prompted, glancing behind.

"This is Avatar," Brook laughed. "You name it, he can do it," she smiled with pride as she saw the muscles flex on his haunches, shoulders, and neck. He had been trailered up with Ashleigh's palomino Quarter Horse, Polly Pocket, that horse had the personality to match it's name, she was super friendly and playful, but when put to work, like Tar, they actually _worked_ and they were probably the farthest things from push-button ponies. As Joe opened her mouth she added. "It has to be sensible and horse related," she laughed.

"Darn," Joe grinned.

"Got 'cha, pretty boy, didn't I?" Brook lifted an eyebrow ever so slightly.

"Maybe," He shrugged. "So I've gotta know, did you get him for twelve bucks?"

Twelve bucks? Oh, like the Jack-in-the-Box commercial, I get it. _Hello_.

"Twelve bucks? Try multiplying that by..." Brook paused, the buying price registering in her head. "A thousand or so, which didn't include importing this boy from Brazil."

"Holy..." Joe's eyes slowly widened. "Holy fuck, are you serious?"

Brook laughed at his childish response. "Why would I be joking?" She questioned with a completely serious face. "Although Polly was a little less, Tar has some tough expectations going for him. My dad is a total investor for things like this," Brook rolled her eyes.

"Polly?" Joe snorted.

"Polly Pocket," Brook admitted sheepishly. "You know, like the doll?"

"Oh, that Barbie wannabe?" Joe chuckled as they finished their first lap. "She was pretty popular not too long ago."

"Exactly," Brook nodded. "And my dad got Diana a horse, but she doesn't ride that much and I'm pretty sure Carmen has a horse up here somewhere," she stated mindlessly.

"That's cool...scary, but cool," Joe flashed her a toothy grin.

"You'll get used to it," Brook smiled.

* * *

WOOO! I'm starting chapter five right _now_, not literally, but whatever. So I want to know how I'm doing and if Carmen and Diana don't ride horses then...uh...they'll just be at the school or whatever. So let me know and if your name hasn't been mentioned, then just remind me and I'll get you in there. Or if you think you haven't had your fifteen seconds of fame, then holler at me and I'll get 'cha in there! So please review and tell me how I'm doing on this story! Thanks :)

And I've got a few parts filled for HSM2, but I still need ideas on the guys and I need Monique Colman's character, whatserface...Taylor McKessie.

I'll be posting this Friday and if I get a nice amount of reviews, then I'll post chapter five late Saturday night or Sunday morning! Peace. :)


	6. Sweetest Girl

(AN- Yes I do ride horses, I've been riding since I was seven both English and Western and currently, I'm rodeoing, which is pretty flipping awesome and I've got an 8 year old Appaloosa mare named Penny while my sister owns a 21 year old bay Quarter Horse named RJ. RJ was my horse for a good year until I started rodeo, where my family and I bought Penny and I started her on barrel racing and pole bending myself. Penny's a sweetheart and she's a complete puppy-dog. If you want to ask a question, ask away! LoLz, but I've done anything and everything- barrel racing, pole bending, trail, jumping, dressage, etc, story time!!)

Chapter 5

Sweetest Girl

"Party tonight on the field!" Michelle announced as Brook walked into the room, spur straps tied together as she held them in her hand.

"No fucking way," Brook shook her head quickly. "No fucking ways am I going to do that when I've got the Headmaster breathing down my neck after what happened the other night," she stated shortly.

"Sucks for you," Shayla quirked an eyebrow at the older girl with the expression of a clowning. "I'm going," she added.

Brook's lip curled as she tossed her spurs onto the bottom bunk. "I'm taking a shower," she said simply before walking into the bathroom and turning on the shower.

* * *

"So Ms. Lee made you do _what_?" Briana asked in amusement.

"Made me run five laps because apparently I wasn't 'focused' on the pattern," Brook groaned in annoyance. "But Joe amused me during that while," she blurted.

"Ha! I knew it!" Shayla shrieked, pointing an accusing finger at Brook as she sit up even further on Briana's bed.

"You knew what?" Brook snorted, turning a faint pink color.

Shayla's eyes narrowed profusely with a broad smirk.

"Don't give me that," Brook warned. "He was _running_, what am I supposed to do? Call him on it because he was on the track at the same time as I was? That sounds real mature, Shay," she frowned.

"Joe Jonas just happened to be running on the track at the same time you were ordered to do the same, that doesn't sound suspicious to you?" Michelle pointed out as someone knocked on the door. "Ten bucks says it's Joe."

"Ten bucks says it's not," Brook flashed back as Shayla opened the door.

"Shit," The girl muttered as she let Diana into the room with a girl following her timidly.

"Hey D, whose your friend?" Brook nodded to the blonde haired girl with sea green eyes trailing behind her adoptive sister.

"Oh, this is Rachael Osment," Diana beamed. "Raie, this is my sister Brook, her roommates Briana and Michelle, and other bestie, Shayla. She lives right across the hall from them."

"Hi," The group of four chorused.

"What 'cha talking about?" Diana asked, taking a seat on the leather chair.

"You can sit down, you know, Rachael," Brook motioned to the beanbag in the corner.

"Thanks," She responded quietly before doing just that.

"Answer, question, now," Diana said mindlessly.

"Joseph Adam Jonas, junior," Shayla cooed, shooting Brook a mischievous look as she wriggled her eyebrows teasingly. "So damn fine," she added with a swooning sigh, also directed towards Brook, who made a face at her in response.

"Doesn't he have a brother?" Rachael asked quietly.

"He has two," Briana said as though it were a question.

"Yeah, Kevin and Nick," Shayla nodded eagerly. "All of them are...woo!" She declared giddily.

"The party is far from starting and you're already high," Briana giggled with a smirk.

"Am not!" Shayla squealed as Brook's iPhone beeped and vibrated with a new text. "I've got it!" She announced, lunging forward and grabbing it before anyone could say anything. "Oooh, Brooky!"

Brook groaned, she only used that voice when she was reading something extremely romantic. "Give!" She demanded, holding out her phone.

Shayla dodged and tossed it to Michelle and from there, chaos rang through room 44 of Chestnut Hill and while all of this was happening, the door knocked yet again. Rachael shyly got up and opened the door, sitting down just after doing that.

"Am I interrupting something?"

All five girls froze and turned to where the source of the un-feminine voice came from. Shayla smirked before announcing. "Hi Joe!"

"Is she on crack or something?" Joe asked wearily.

"Sadly," Brook shook her head. "No."

"Oh," Joe nodded, crossing his muscular arms with a look of amusement. "Hi, I'm Joe," he added towards Rachael, who was staring at him curiously.

"Rachael," She said softly.

"She's my roommate," Diana informed him as she jumped off of Michelle's bunk and shuffled into the bathroom.

"Did you get my text?" Joe asked, glancing at Brook.

"If I got my phone back, then I would have," Brook growled, turning to Shayla, who ended up with the phone.

Shayla grinned before tossing the phone at Brook with a giggle. Brook's eyes scanned the illuminated screen and nodded. "Sure," she agreed.

"Sure what?" Diana blurted. "What'd he write?"

"I'm still here, ya know," Joe said uneasily, shifting from his spot in the doorway.

"Yeah, yeah," Briana nodded, waving her hand dismissively.

"See you pricks later," Brook rolled her eyes before she jumped up and shoved Joe out of the doorway before closing the door behind her. "Hurry, they're going to follow us," she hissed, shoving him down the hall.

* * *

"Are you _sure _I can't persuade you to come with me to the dance?" Joe asked.

"I'm pretty sure," Brook nodded with a light laugh. "First of the year parties, I do. First of the year dances, I don't."

"Why not?" Joe quirked.

"I don't dance," Brook stated shortly with a minuscule smirk poking at her features.

"You danced at the party!" Joe exclaimed.

"That wasn't dancing," Brook pointed out. "It's called grinding, Hollywood, get used to it."

"Oh, Hollywood now is it?" Joe smirked, folding his very muscular arms. "And who says you can grind?"

"Ask any guy on the football and soccer team," Brook returned his broad smirk. "They'll tell you _all_ you need to know so maybe, just one day, you can try it," she added with a completely straight and innocent face as she blinked in triumph.

"Oooh, ouch Davis," Joe said in mock anger, drawing a hand to his chest dramatically.

"Isn't that the truth?" Brook countered slyly. "Besides, you're Mr. Ego, but that doesn't mean you've got any moves at all."

"And how would you know this?" Joe asked defiantly.

"Just look at yourself," Brook prompted. "Ego, muscle, lengthy...not a good mix for dancing nor grinding."

"Muscle?" He smirked.

"You're the one who said I didn't have a skinny ass at ten o'clock at night," Brook retorted. "So you should talk, besides who the hell were _you_ dancing with?"

"Somce girl from Maple, her names...Jade Wilson," Joe shrugged carelessly.

"Then ask _her_ to the dance," Brook rolled her eyes.

"Well if you want to be difficult, then I will," Joe declared.

"Then do it," Brook prompted.

"You won't get jealous?" Joe smirked, lifting an eyebrow ever so slightly.

"Do I _look_ jealous?" Brook snorted with a straight face.

"So you _don't_ mind?" Joe pressed.

"Why the hell would I mind?" Brook exclaimed in irritation. "You've still got an ego, don't you?"

Joe shrugged lazily before he pulled out his phone and paused. "You don't even have ner number, do you?" Brook burst out laughing as Joe tucked his phone back into his pocket. "Smooth Jonas."

"Whatever, Davis," Joe grunted, his features betrayed his amusement and annoyance.

"But I might just drop by if I'm bored," Brook sighed, focusing her attention on Joe's facial expression, which was now, officially hilarious.

"What?" He exploded. "You won't go with me, but you'll go if you're 'bored'," He quoted, giving Brook the weirdest looks possible.

"Yup, pretty much," Brook nodded softly with a faint smirk poking at her features. "See if there's anything good to make my night."

"You're the strangest girl I've ever met," Joe muttered in disbelief, he then lowered his voice and muttered something inaudible, which Brook caught on as 'Which totally turns me on'.

Brook coughed and her hand flew to her mouth while Joe smirked. "Now who owns who?" He inquired, he knew that Brook had heard what he had said and he was positively beaming for it.

"You'll regret that, Jonas," Brook warned, shaking her head.

"How's that?" Joe asked, latching his fingers together and leaning back in his larger than life chair while his gaze flickered questioningly.

"If I tell you, it won't be a surprise," Brook answered in a seductive whisper as she leaned forward, resting her palm on Joe's thigh, trying not to laugh at his hard not to miss bulging eyes and shifting hips, she had him right where she wanted him.

* * *

"You're serious?" Jade Wilson shrieked happily.

"Yeah, Joe told me himself," Brook nodded, trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh, that's awesome! Thanks for the heads-up Brook!" Jade squealed before darting back inside, leaving Brook smiling in satisfaction.

From what Angel Miller had told Brook, she was a shoo-in to become the next Gabriella Montez, but so was Jade. It was going to be a well fought competition and from what Brook had overheard, they were going to run auditions just like they ran the real movie, day long, nonstop, and exhausting.

"Hey Brook!" Ashleigh waved her younger cousin over. "What was that?"

"Oh...nothing important," Brook shrugged carelessly. "So what's up?"

"I saw your name on the sign-up sheets for the winter play," Ashleigh said, producing a slightly puzzled look. "You're trying out?"

"Yup," Brook nodded proudly, if she was going to get any part in the play, she'd have to work for it, which meant she had to want to be in it. "I'm going out for all of the lead female roles. Are you?"

"Just Sharpay Evans," Ashleigh giggled softly. "That girl is a natural bitch, but I like it!"

"Awesome," Brook nodded approvingly.

"Rumor says you're a shoo-in for Gabriella," Ashleigh whispered in excitement.

"So I've heard," Brook flashed her a small smile. "I might go into the main hall and see who else is going out for Miz Montez," she shrugged. "So far all I know is Jade."

"So is Ice Princess," Ashleigh frowned.

"Ugh, Isabella is going for Gabriella? She's supposed to be a _nice_ character!" Brook protested, her stone gray eyes were now a smoky gray color with the anger and fluster. "Not a bitchy character and she can't even sing!"

"Good luck with that," Ashleigh snorted in response as she folded her arms with a playful glance.

"Thanks Ash," Brook narrowed her eyes teasingly. "But when is the open house?"

"The open house is sometime...oh crap," Ashleigh groaned. "Veronica," she spat out in disgust.

"Ugh," Brook rolled her eyes.

Veronica was Brook's stepmom who was old enough to be her older sister, she looked more like her adoptive sister- Diana, then Brook. Platinum blondehair, piercing green eyes, and the IQ of a dog. She was about 5'9 or so and lived off of designer clothes, she barely wore anything twice and her favorite thing was Brook's father's wallet. Everything about Veronica, was fake. It was disgusting and a disgrace to the Davis family to have someone like her as apart of their family and Veronica wasn't a walk in the park either.

"I hate her, this is what I get for having dad travel everywhere," Brook hissed in annoyance. "He get's married in Spain, joy, just pure joy."

* * *

"Brook!"

"Hey Ches," Brook smiled tiredly, standing up briefly to give him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Riding?" Chester guessed with a loud, amused chuckle as he took a seat across from Brook in the main lounge. "How's Tar?"

"Awesome, as usual," Brook nodded approvingly. "But Ms. Lee made me run five laps because I wasn't 'focused' enough."

"And why's that?" Chester inquired, knowing it was something to do with school or a guy.

Brook made a face and lifted an eyebrow and Chester's smile faded. "It's not Jonas is it?" He asked, making a disapproving noise.

"Maybe?" Brook guessed, trying to muster an innocent, yet angelic look that might pass.

"Won't work on me Davis," Chester shook his head with a warning look. "Yes or no?"

"Yes," Brook mumbled, feeling like a little kid again. "But he was on the track the same time I was!" She protested.

Chester snorted, his eyes blazing in annoyance. "Save me," he rumbled. "Rumor has it that he's going to the dance with Jade Wilson _after_ begging you to go with him," a small amount of amusement returned to his features.

"Possibly," Brook smiled slyly with a half, innocent shrug.

Chester bobbed his head with a toothy grin. "First you're flirting with him, then you're not, what's up?"

"Making sure he's willing to work for it," Brook grinned, leaning back in her chair. "Besides, I want to have my fun before Veronica comes next week."

"You told me about her!" Chester exclaimed in recognition. "How is she?"

"She's old enough to date you," Brook sniffed daintily. "God, I hate her. I spent two weeks with her and she's already trying to explain how to get guys with my boobs and how short a mini skirt should _really_ be."

Chester's face was bright red as he choked on trying to hold back his thunderous laughter.

"Yeah, laugh it up Chester," Brook warned viciously. "Because you'll be the first person I introduce Veronica too."

"You wouldn't!" Chester couldn't wipe the broad smirk off of his face.

"I would," Brook threatened with a shudder. "And she absolutely hates Tar, like, she's currently trying to pursuede dad to sell him for twevle bucks on a Jack-in-the-Box commercial."

"Blonde?" Chester guessed.

"Yup, how'd you figure that out?" Brook asked in surprise. sarcasm dripping from her voice. "I hope my mom comes though."

"How is she doing?" Chester asked quietly.

"I don't know," Brook admitted. "Dad won't tell me."

"She'll be alright," Chester smiled warmly.

* * *

Next Week: Wednesday

It had been a day of complete hell. It was down to three people for the spot of Gabriella Montez- Brooklynn Davis, Jade Wilson, and Isabella. They had been singing, dancing, and trying not to get cut from the auditions all afternoon. Now they had to learn the dances and sing- with pairs, but that was tomorrow, if you made it that far.

"Good job today and tomorrow is pair dancing and singing!" Angel announced, raising her voice.

Brook litterally dropped to the ground right there and then and sighed. "Mmm," she mumbled, she was on her feet _all_ day long and to make things worse, Brook suspected that Joe was doing something with Jade to try to get her jealous. Wasn't working.

"Why is my baby girl lying on the floor?" A high pitched, very shrill voice rang through the auditorium, one that could make anyone cringe in pain. "Is she ok?"

Joe turned to look suspiciously at Brook, who made a face behind her hood before pushing it back and getting to her feet. "I'm fine Veronica," she called, trying to cover up her annoyance, she jumped off of the stage and made her way over to where her father, Veronica, and Diana were waiting. "Daddy!" She smiled childishly, leaping at her father with an unknown enthusiasm she thought she had lost.

"You're a teenager now!" Veronica spit out, ripping Brook from her father's arms. "You shouldn't be acting like a child anymore!"

Brook looked at her in surprise before exchanging a quick look with Diana, who made a face and shrugged lazily.

"How's my girl?" Her father, Ted Davis smiled, giving his daughter a one armed hug. "How've you been?"

"And why are you in such rags? A Davis _does not_ wear..._this_!" She exclaimed, roughly grabbing the sleeve of Brook's sweatshirt. "Nor does she smell like this!"

Brook glanced down at her choice of ensemble- a Woodland Hills zip-up jacket with a hood, gray sweatpants, and underneath was a conciderably slim Wet Seal t-shirt. "I had practice," she shrugged.

"For what? Being a peasant?" Veronica glowered at Brook.

"For a play," Brook shot back in annoyance, baring her teeth.

"Which would be?" Veronica prompted, folding her arms prissily. "A Christmas Carol?" She sneered.

"High School Musical 2," Brook gritted angrily. "I was going for the lead."

"Well done, when do you find out?" Ted Davis asked, oblivious to the new step-mom and daughter fighting occuring.

"Soon hopefully," Brook forced a bright smile on her face. "I've got pairs auditions tomorrow."

"How is Avatar doing?" Ted asked eagerly.

"Awesome, I had practice the other day and --"

"Ted! Do we _have_ to listen about a smelly old horse?" Veronica whined. "I thought you were going to sell it!"

"What?" Brook screeched. "You can't sell Tar!" She exclaimed, all of the angered heat rising to her head at once, sparking her blurring vision and the little stars and swiggly lines, her head clapsed on the armrest of the theater chairs and she slid to her feet.

"Stop faking it!" Veronica commanded shrilly, nudging Brook with the tip of her three inch designer heels. "Get up!"

"Brook? B, you ok?" Diana asked anxiously, shoving passed Veronica and grabbing her other arm to help her sit down. "B? You want some water?"

"Brooklynn?" Ted asked softly, crouching down. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"

"Does she look alright?" Jade snorted, prancing up and laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder while Diana got up and raced to the bathroom to grab a damp towel. "Brook? Can you still hear me?"

Brook nodded numbly, her words caught in her dry throat as she brought her palms to her face with a moan.

"If you don't mind, miss, this is my daughter," Ted explained calmly and Jade showed no sign she cared whatsoever.

"Brook?"

"What is this? A frat party! Go away! Shoo!" Veronica squealed loudly, aiming her Prada bag at Joe's head.

Joe made a face at her before he crouched down next to Ted Davis.

"I'm fine, go 'way," she mumbled.

"You heard her!" Veronica spat. "Go away."

"You too, she-devil," Brook hissed choppily, her voice slow and cracking.

Veronica gasped. "Brooklynn," Ted warned.

"What? She's not my mom," Brook frowned, shielding her eyes from the stage lights. "And she never will be, so I don't plan on treating her like one, for all I care, she can just leave."

Veronica gasped again and Ted stood up. "Brooklynn Davis, apologize immediately."

"No," Brook shook her head softly, yet stubbornly. "I'm not stupid dad, Veronica's been screwing this family up ever since you met her. I won't be dragged down with her," and with that, she stumbled to her feet and staggered away, Diana, Jade, and Joe following her anxiously.

"She's never acted like that with me!" Ted exclaimed in bewilderment. "Let me go talk to her, stay here," he instructed before hurrying away to catch up. "Can we have a quick moment?"

"I'm not going to apologize to a witch like her," Brook hissed stubbornly after everyone had reluctantly sauntered away.

"Brook, I'm not asking you to let her replace your mother," Ted said evenly. "But she deserves respect from you."

"Once she starts, then I'll give it a go," Brook snorted. "Dad, she's my age! Doesn't that say anything to you? Desperate? Whore?"

"Brooklynn Jade Davis!" Ted reprimanded sharply, frowning his disapproval. "That is not appropriate and nor do I want to hear that language come out of your mouth again! Do you hear me, young lady? As much as you dislike Veronica, you will not call her names of any sort, do I make myself clear?"

"Yeah," Brook grumbled, her eyes flashing at Veronica's deathly Venus flytrap form by the entrance of the auditorium. "But you won't sell, Tar, will you?" She asked hopefully.

"No, that was just Veronica talking, you know she doesn't like dirty things except for that little yapper she brought home the week you left," Ted shook his head with a warm, amused smile. "I wan't to shoot it with something, it won't shut up."

"I'll definately help you with that," Brook nodded eagerly. "Any new investments?"

"A rundown of a place called Hollywood Records is next on my list," Ted said after lowering his head and voice. "With the right advertising, we could get some of the top artists there and going," he said with pride. "It'll be the best thing yet."

"Ok," Brook nodded, her father said that about anything and everything. "How's Peepers?"

Ted's smile disappeared in an instant and his gaze flickered back to where Veronica was standing.

"Her dog or her?" Brook snapped.

"Brook, it wasn't like that," Ted sighed. "She said she was allergic to rock doves and the next thing you know, we heard a crash and some growling. I'm sorry, baby."

"Did she escape?" Brook asked hopefully.

"I wish I could give you a straight answer, sweetheart," Ted said solemnly, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Brook let out an uneasy sigh.

* * *

"See, doesn't he look good, daddy?" Brook smiled as she walked up with Avatar's lead in hand, his deep red turnout sheet was still on, but even then, Brook had to admit he looked awesome.

"He looks fine," Ted nodded his head approvingly. "How are his workouts coming along?"

"Wonderful," Brook swooned as she dropped his head and began unfastening his turnout sheet, when it had come off, Ted stepped forward and ran his hand along his neck, through his barrel, and down to his well formed haunches.

"He is looking very nice," Ted agreed, coming back to his neck, where he ran his hand under the shoulder length wavy black mane and nodded every so often. "Is he ready for the season?" He asked while patting Avatar's broad shoulder.

Brook nodded eagerly. "He's been ready," she said, toying with the in scripted plaque on his leather halter while her left hand held his twisted red lead rope. "Can I turn him back out again?"

"Uncle Ted!" Ashleigh waved.

"Ashleigh, how're you?" Ted turned and smiled, recognizing his niece. "How's Polly?"

"I'm good," Ashleigh nodded. "And Polly's wonderful."

"Ready for the upcoming season?" Ted asked eagerly as Avatar reached forward and nudged Ashleigh's shoulder, making her stumble in surprise.

"Tar!" Ashleigh squealed, shoving the horse in return and grinning. "Yup, but Tar is no match for my Polly," she laughed, rubbing the bridge of his nose as Brook quickly repeated her question.

"Sure," Ted nodded, his gaze sweeping over the horse as Brook replaced the sheet and walked back out to the pasture.

Brook danced in her pajamas on her way back from the downstairs lounge, when she saw an all too familiar figure. "Joe?"

The hazel eyed boy turned and flashed her a quick smile. "Hi Brook," he said.

"Um, hi?" Brook guessed, walking closer as she paused her already low enough to be heard music. "Why're you in Chestnut Hill exactly?"

"I came to find you," Joe answered bluntly, shoving his hands into the pockets of his way too skinny black jeans. "You haven't talked to me since I told you I was going to invite Jade Wilson to the back to school dance, I was just wondering if I did anything?" He prompted anxiously, giving Brook a close once over.

"No," Brook shook her head unsurely. "Today's been a long day, can we talk tomorrow or something?"

Joe's face fell quickly and he nodded slowly. "I guess so," he said with a childlike pout.

Brook walked up to him with an amused smile. "Why? Don't think you can last this long without talking to me?" She asked, slipping passed him to her open doorway, where she took up a spot leaning against it. "You've done it for nearly a year Joe, I think you can last another couple hours. What'd you think?"

Joe's eyes narrowed playfully and he stepped forward so he was towering above Brook by a couple inches, Brook crossed her arms and straightened herself up. "Using our past against me, again?"

"You really need me to answer that?" Brook tipped her head to the side curiously, a faint smirk poking at her lips as she stood on her tippy-toes and kissed the corner of Joe's mouth. "Night Jonas," she smiled innocently at Joe's face, he wanted more, a lot more, and with that, Brook shut the door. "I own him," she smiled in satisfaction before she walked into the bathroom.


	7. Brook Montez

(AN- I have seriously never seen One Tree Hill, ok, I've seen it once but, seriously! It's weird because I'm being told that these are similar OTH names. LoLz, I just make them up as I go along. And doesn't Veronica sound like a bitchy name to you?)

Chapter 6

Brook Montez

Friday Morning-

"Morning sunshine," Shayla squealed. "Guess what?" She drawled out in excitement.

"What?" Brook mumbled.

"I now present, Brook Montez," she ducked her head down and whispered it teasingly into her ear and jumped back as Brook rolled out of the covers and began jumping happily onto her bed.

"Beat that Jade! Uh!" Brook triumphed. "And Miss Ice Bitch! Ha! In yo face! Wooo!" She paused for a moment, turning a questioning gaze to her best friends and roommates. "Who got Troy?"

Shayla smirked and Brook groaned, it was a love-hate relationship she had with Joe Jonas and officially it was leaning towards hate. "Why?" She groaned, staggering into the bathroom.

"Should we tell her about the kiss now? Or later?" Briana asked loudly.

"What?" Brook screamed, her eyes blazing with disbelief. "Kiss?" She leaned forward intently. "What?"

"Don't you remember? At the end of_ HSM2 _Troy Bolten and Gabriella Montez kiss," Michelle stated matter-of-factly. "On the golf course in the middle of the night, sound familiar?" She added before quickly darting away, squealing with triumph as Brook lunged venomously.

"Ha, fuck yeah guys," Briana grinned, high fiving everyone who had managed to squeeze into the room.

"You people are evil," Brook gritted as she brushed her teeth.

* * *

"Brook, come sit with us," Joe nodded his head towards the table where he and his brothers usually sat.

Brook gave him a weird look and Joe muttered something under his breath before he chuckled softly aloud. "It looks like I just asked you to sleep on my bunk, it's only a table," he pointed out.

"Exactly, it's only a table," Brook called softly as she turned and walked over to sit at her normal table.

"You are one complex chick, you know that right?" Joe asked, debating whether he should follow or not, he caught up with Brook in two and a half strides.

"I know," Brook smiled sweetly.

Joe groaned but playfully shoved Brook over so he could sit down, he stared at the other girls in amazement. "I'm sitting at a chick table," he mused aloud with a look of complete wonder. "So what do you do over here?"

Brook and Shayla exchanged a mischievous glance before they moved closer together. "Oh, you know...chick on chick stuff when you jocks don't look," Shayla said with a sly look.

"Wh-what?" Joe's jaw dropped and after Brook and Shayla had gotten as close to each other as possible, a small trail of drool had slipped out of the corner of Joe's mouth as he waited for something to happen. Brook and Shayla grinned before the whole table burst out laughing and Joe flushed sheepishly, rubbing the trail of saliva at the corner of his mouth with his palm.

"That was totally classic," Briana grinned, giving Brook and Shayla a high five as the low murmur of giggles had somewhat subsided.

"You're mean," Joe pouted with a bright gleam.

"I'm not mean," Brook corrected. "I'm talented, there's a difference."

Joe rolled his eyes before taking a gulp of his orange juice and shaking his head in disbelief while Brook and Shayla couldn't stop grinning at each other. It was classic and boy did it work. Teasing...it worked every time and it brought them back for more.

* * *

"Please!" Shayla complained from looking at herself in the bathroom mirror. "You've got to go!"

"Why? It's a dance?" Brook scoffed her dislike as she glanced at her nails. "And I've got nothing to wear and dances are the same every year, so no use."

"You're such a kill joy," Kristen informed her, fixing her earrings.

"I know," Brook nodded. "Besides, I've got to rest, right after school Monday I've got play practice and right after dinner, I've got riding practice in the indoor arena, it's not even the first month and I'm killing myself."

"Can I have your boots then?" Briana taunted.

Brook glowered as she picked up her iPhone in hopes of a new text. _Date dropped out last minute, she's sick. Can you be ready if fifteen? -Chester_

"Ugh! That prick!" Brook screeched.

"What?" Karen asked in amusement.

Brook tossed her phone at the girl before she jumped out of the bottom bunk and dug into the closet, producing a emerald green cocktail keyhole dress that ended right right below her knees. "Anyone got heels for this?"

"I do!" Diana squealed. "Strappy silver, does that work?"

"Yeah, Kirsten (OMG! I'm soooo sorry, I was spelling your name wrong this whole time! Sorry!), do you have that stud earring you were talking about the other day?" Brook asked frantically as Shayla darted into the bathroom to turn on the straightener, again.

"Yeah, I'll grab it," Kirsten (I'll remember from now on, promise. LoLz) nodded vigorously before slipping away.

"Ugh, dick," Brook muttered as she changed in the bathroom.

"It's Chester alright," Briana grinned. "Texting, not calling."

"I know," Brook nodded, rolling her eyes as Shayla began straightening her naturally wavy dark brown hair. "Good thing I showered, Chester's going to get it."

"Here's that stud you wanted," Kirsten said breathlessly, holding an earring in the shape of a star.

"Thanks," Brook nodded, reaching for the only earring she had, which was in the upper part of her left ear.

* * *

"Calling would have worked too," Brook hissed as Chester led her through the main doors of the cafeteria, where all of the tables had been moved. "You prick, I almost had a heart attack," she frowned.

"I know," Chester whispered with pride. "You want something to drink?"

"Jerk," Brook muttered, she was officially holding a small grudge against Chester for making her go as his date when she had already denied Joe at a chance. Brook glanced around as Chester walked away, seeing Michelle walking up to Nick and Carmen and Ashleigh were talking to Kevin as he took a sip of his Red Bull casually.

"And you said you weren't going," A partially amused, yet pained voice came from behind Brook, a voice that she had been dreading all night.

"Chester's date backed out last minute, he gave me no choice," Brook sighed, turning to face Joe with a twisted face.

"No choice? Please," Joe snorted. "Everyone has a choice."

"I know, but what was I going to tell him? I can't go because..." Brook protested hotly.

"If you didn't want to go with me, then you could have just told me," Joe stated quietly, his eyes scanning everything about Brook with a sad face.

"Joe," Brook murmured. "I seriously wasn't planning on coming, but Chester...he really wanted to come."

"You know what?" Joe said. "Whatever," he shrugged before turning around and walking towards Jade, who was talking to Sarah Coughlin.

Brook threw her head back and groaned, fighting the urge to kick Chester's ass before the dance even started. "Shit, Ches," Brook hissed ill-temperdly at the older boy as he walked back, drink in hand.

"What'd I do?" Chester queried.

"Fuck it," Brook snapped, her voice low and fighting to remain calm.

* * *

"Now or never," Brook whispered before she stepped into the path of Joe as Jade stepped away for a moment when Sarah beckoned her.

She grabbed Joe's hand swiftly and placed it lightly on the curve of her hip and his eyes opened from his daze. "What're you doing?" He asked, his step never faltering as he placed his other hand on the other side of Brook's waist.

It didn't look like Jade was coming back anytime and Joe knew it as well as Brook. It had been four longer songs later when Brook wrapped her arm around Joe's neck and he slid his right arm along her waist as he pressed closer to her backside. Brook tugged lightly and his head dipped down, his breath brushing her jawline.

The occasional nuzzle and twist of the hair, but for the rest of the night, they two were joined and neither minded one bit.

"Wasn't too bad," Brook commented breathlessly as she and Shayla walked back to the dorms.

"Don't play stupid and innocent," Shayla laughed aloud. "I saw you and Jonas, you gasped when he groped you," she giggled. "And I know you know it was going to happen sooner or later."

Brook blushed. "I had him right where I wanted him."

"Please, you owned him," Shayla grinned, shoving Brook's shoulder as the walked upstairs. "Did you at least kiss him?"

Brook glanced sideways and Shayla squealed. "You didn't? Ah! What am I going to _do_ with you?"

"Bite me," Brook smiled broadly as they reached their rooms. "Call us in the morning so we can crash the mall or something."

"Yeah, totally," Shayla nodded as Brook walked inside, where she quietly changed into her pajamas and flopped under the covers, falling asleep asleep almost immediately.

* * *

"Brook, wake up," Someone said, shoving her slightly, causing a reaction of a groan and slipping deeper under the covers. "Brooky, get up you lazy ass skank."

"You little wren --" Brook shot out of bed, prepared to hit whoever was talking with a pillow. "Briana," she growled.

"Lazy ass, it's almost ten thirty!" She exclaimed with a smirk.

"Bull shit," Brook coughed out.

"No, seriously," Briana pointed to their vintage Coca-Cola clock they had hanging in the corner of their room.

"Fuck," Brook mumbled as she quickly got ready. "I'll be right back, I'm going to check on Tar and I'll meet you at the front gates."

"Are you sure?" Michelle asked.

"Positive, I'll be quick, promise," she said before quickly making her way to the barn and pacing down to the large box stall at the end of the barn where she whistled softly, seconds later Tar's black head and white snippet poked his head over the door and bobbed his head. "Hey buddy," she crooned, rubbing his cheekbones vigorously. "G'morning," she smiled, rubbing behind his ear with one free hand and fixing his forelock. "Just sayin' hello," she added. "Can't stay long."

A loud, vibrating whinny trumpeted from behind Brook and then junior turned and rolled her eyes. "Polly's getting jealous, huh?" She laughed, dropping her hands from Avatar and striding a few paces away to the stall across from her own horses. "Silly Polly," she cooed, rubbing the palomino's muzzle. "I'll be back down later," she promised, departing with one last rub.

"Brook! Need a lift?" Ms. Lee asked, driving up in a golf cart. "Where're you headed?"

"Front gates," Brook answered. "I'm meeting some friends there so we can get a lift to the mall."

"Oh, hop in," Ms. Lee answered, she was strictly rodeo events while Mrs. Phillips was hunter jumper, Mr. West was dressage, Mr. Coxx was mainly Western pleasure and trail, while Ms. Bird (Strange name, huh?) was English equitation, they were almost never at the barn on the same days, but they all knew each other and worked the weekends by giving lessons and exercising the horses.

Brook jumped into the front seat and Ms. Lee took off once again, driving towards the front gates, which were a good three minutes from all of the dorms. Brook smiled when she saw the confusion on Briana's face, followed by a burst out laughter. "Thanks Ms. Lee," she said as she stepped out of the golf cart.

"No problem," Ms. Lee smiled, her frizzy brown hair was clipped into a braid that hung at the nape of her neck. "But stop by the barn when you get back, I might have a couple of horses for you and Ashleigh to exercise."

"Cool, will do," Brook nodded enthusiastically as the instructor turned the cart and drove back towards the school grounds.

There was the three dorms, minus most of Diana's and Rachael's roomies, plus Brook, Briana, Michelle, Shayla, Kirsten, and Karen, plus a small group of freshmen, huddled together in the corner.

The shuttle chugged around the corner and stopped in front of the front gates, swinging the door open. "Hi Yuki," Brook said cheerfully as she stepped onto the small bus.

"Brook," the driver smiled in recognition. "I was wondering when you were coming, how was your summer?"

"It was awesome," Brook responded as Briana and Shayla drove her deeper onto the bus with eager grins.

* * *

"Where to first?" Shayla asked, her eyes gleaming brightly as she eyed the stores appreciatively.

"Maybe PacSun or Journey's," Karen suggested, watching the bright neon lights of both stores, which, convinenantily were right next to each other.

"I wanna go to, like, Claire's or something," Brook said slowly. "For a new stud."

Briana grinned broadly and coughed, Brook rolled her eyes and smacked Briana. "For my _ear_," she added in exasperation.

"Uhuh, whatever you say Davis, whatever you say," Briana laughed aloud, turning pink.

Half an Hour Later

Brook laughed as she popped a McDonald's fry into her mouth and then coughed as she felt a sudden vibrate on her upper thigh. She yanked her iPhone from her pocket and stared at the text. _All Chestnut Hill Girls are invited for a little game called truth or dare! Room 49 at midnight. See you then._

"Did you --" Brook started.

"Yup," They all nodded. "You in?"

"I'm in," Brook agreed.

* * *

Brook, Briana, and Michelle slipped into room 49 and grinned before exchanging quiet high fives, there was a flashlight leading them to a circle of other girls and a pile of sweets that should have been hard to sneak out from the cafeteria.

Jessica Winters, Jeremy's younger sister, a sophomore, offered a roll of Chips Ahoy to Brook as they sat down in the circle, with a grateful smile, Brook took four and nudged it over to Briana.

"Ok, I'll start!"Ariana, a loudspoken freshmen declared in a triumphant whisper. "Truth or dare?" She asked, eyeing Janessa with a broad smile.

"Um, truth?" She guessed.

"Why do you like potatoes so much?" Ariana asked curiously, she was obviously someone who has noticed her potato obsession.

"Because they're good!" Janessa exclaimed protectively. "It's my weird obsession," she shrugged. "So my turn?"

"That was a lame question!" A senior, Marissa protested.

"I'm warming up!" Ariana pouted, folding her arms as she popped an Oreo into her mouth.

"Ok, so...Marissa, truth or dare?" Janessa asked eagerly, leaning towards the senior with wide eyes.

Marissa tossed a look in Ariana's direction before she declared. "Dare."

"Everytime someone says your name on Monday, you have to moo like a cow," Janessa blurted with a broad smile poking at her lips.

"Ok, easy," Marissa's eyebrow lifted ever so slightly as if to challenge the dare. "Let's get a junior in the mix," she said mischievously. "Davis, truth or date?"

"Date?" Brook smirked.

"Truth or _dare_?" Marissa corrected herself with a sly smile.

"Dare," Brook announced quickly, meeting the seniors unwavering forest green gaze.

"You know the Jonases room number, right?" Marissa prompted, her sly smile growing as Brook nodded. "I want you to sneak over there and get _in_ their room and jack one of their student cards."

"Easy, I'll be back in fifteen, count them," Brook tossed a grin at Marissa before getting up and slipping out.

She poked her head around the corner before she tiptoed downstairs and outside, where she slunk to Oak Hill, home of the Jonas Brothers. Brook managed not to squeal at the smell coming from the first dorm to her left, she stifled a cough before prancing up the staircase to the second level, where she pulled a stiff plastic card that she had tucked into the waistline of her pajama pants earlier and slid it through the only visible space by the doorknob and with a soft click, Brook pushed the door open and closed it softly behind her.

She glanced around before she crept across the carpet covered floor and listened for any noise as a start, a loud snort came from a closed door to the left. Brook made a face before opening the door to find Kevin, the eldest.

"Shit," Brook muttered, her eyes narrowed in determination before she slipped through the only door next to it. This time she found Nick. "Fuck these huge rooms," she gritted before turning around to the only door that was unopened and behind her. Brook's hand felt its way onto the doorknob and she pushed it open, smiling in satisfaction when she spotted Joe's sleeping form, a white tank top visible as he slept stomach up.

Brook grinned as a plan quickly slipped into her mind, she tiptoed to Joe's bedside and thought it over, quickly deciding to go through it before she jumped onto the bed, pinning Joe down, her buckled knees on either side of Joe as he jolted up with a startled snort. "Holy shit," he groaned, his eyes wide with fear, which then simmered down to annoyance when he recognized Brook. "What the fuck?"

"Morning Joe," Brook whispered cheerfully, leaning forward and pinning his arms above his head.

Joe cracked an amused smile through his tired features. "What time is it and how the hell did you get in?"

"It's just passed midnight and I let myself in," Brook beamed. "You know, with a fake card?"

"You mean, like, trespassing?" Joe prompted with a groan and a loud yawn, his eyelids groggily half open, his melting hazel gaze was just as tired and amused as Joe looked. "And where did you learn this?"

"Don't ask," Brook advised, quirking an eyebrow at his expression as he attempted to lace their fingers. "Besides, I've got a perfectly good explanation for sneaking into your room this late at night."

"Which would be?" He asked, chuckling tiredly, successfully lacing their fingers together.

"All Chestnut Hill girls were invited for a game of truth or dare," Brook grinned, barely able to see Joe through her now slipping side bangs.

"Oh," he nodded knowingly, the light never fading from the hazel eyed boy. "And you being you, don't back down, huh?"

"Never," Brook smiled with pride, she still had a good eight minutes from when she said she'd return, might as well make the best of it.

"I know," Joe grunted. "As much as I'm enjoying...this, knowing you, there was something else, what was it?"

"I had to bring back your student card as proof I got in," Brook shrugged slyly. "Well technically one of yours, but since you're up..."

"Yeah, yeah," Joe snorted, their voices just below a murmur. "It's on the table, but how do I know you're going to bring it back?" He questioned with a smirk tugging at his lips.

"I see now," Brook lifted an eyebrow with a small smile. "You really think I'm going to keep your student card when I've got my own?"

"Why do you need it now?" He countered.

_He's good_, Brook thought, stifling the urge to roll her eyes. She smiled and leaned forward until she was mere inches away from Joe's face. "Got any ideas, Hollywood?"

"I've got a few," he admitted, mirroring Brook's sly smile.

* * *

I'm hoping to reach 100 reviews this weekened, I'm doing the same thing as last time. Posting something Friday and then another on Saturday night or Sunday morning, preferably Saturday night, before SNL hopefully! The next chapter has some extra drama too, LoLz.

I was bored and now I'm tired, so I'm posting something late Wednesday and I'll be posting on Friday and if all goes well Saturday night or Sunday morning and I really, really want to reach 100 reviews so please review and tell me how I'm doing and you know...stuff. _Awkward_. Sorry, couldn't resist.


	8. Compromise

Chapter 7

Compromise

_"You must seriously think highly of yourself," Brook rolled her eyes, her own arms were beginning to ache after holding down Joe's arms for that long._

_"Depends if you do or not," he looked pretty proud of himself. _

_"You're really something, Joe Jonas," Brook stated. "So about that...compromise?"_

_"We can work something out," he shrugged slyly, his facial expression said otherwise._

_Brook pursed her lips out and Joe cocked an eyebrow before his eyes began to shut softly in what was his expectations of a deep, romantic kiss. Last minute, Brook quickly pecked his lips before quickly jumping off and grabbing his student card. "I always have an extra plan," she whispered as Joe stared at her in disbelief. "Sleep tight Hollywood," she added before slipping out of his room and back towards Chestnut Hill._

_"_Back," Brook said breathlessly after bursting through the door of room 49, she smiled before flashing the card triumphantly.

"You had less than two minutes left, Davis," Marissa reported. "What happened over there?"

"Oh...nothing," Brook smiled before reclaiming her spot next to Jessica Winters and Briana. "Shall we continue?" she asked with a sly smile.

* * *

Brook sat cross legged on the couch in the upper lounge as she finished an email to her mom.

It was only ten o'clock in the morning and not many people were awake, especially since most of the Chestnut Hill girls participated in the game of truth or dare the previous night. "Eh my god, you're awake?" Shayla groaned, shuffling into the lounge.

"Yup, surprising, huh?" Brook nodded in agreement, the lower strands of her dark brown hair looking black as the lightened part was held up neatly by a small hairband.

"Still got Jonases card?" Shayla produced a tired smirk as she flopped down on the beanbag nearby.

"You know it," Brook nodded. "Besides, why would I wake up _just_ to give it back? I mean, seriously."

"Bull liar," Shayla grinned, leaning back. "For all we know, you two could have been getting _frisky_ in his room," she pointed out, quoting some Country slang she had heard from a Carrie Underwood song.

"Frisky?" Brook snorted, setting her laptop aside. "Please, that'll be the day. Hungry?"

Shayla eyed her suspiciously before she nodded and got to her feet with a loud groan of protest. "Don't think your getting off this easy," she warned as the two looped arms and walked down to the cafeteria.

They grabbed a small breakfast and sat down across from each other in the nearly empty cafeteria hall. Shayla shoved a bite of Frosted Flakes into her mouth while Brook poked at her scrambled eggs, wondering -surprise, surprise- about Hollywood, the guy, not the place.

"You're spacing," Shayla informed her, waving a hand vigorously in her face. "It's him, isn't i?"

"Who's _him_?" Brook asked absentmindedly.

"You're retarded or something," Shayla rolled her eyes.

"And your stoned, does this conversation have a point to it?" Brook said mindlessly, taking a small sip of her hazelnut coffee that was doused with a truckload of sugar, licking her lips free of the halfway melted whipped creme.

"You're into him," Shayla declared whether Brook was paying attention or not. "Speaking off..."

"That was mean," Joe stated with a firm, yet playful look as a lopsided smirk made its way onto his features.

"Morning to you too," Brook snorted, rolling her eyes. "Jeez."

"Someones cranky," he chimed, leaning his head into the crook of her neck so he could loudly whisper.

"Am not," Brook shook her head.

"Aren't you going to give me something?" Joe prompted, leaning against the table with his left arm.

A sly smile made its way onto Brook's face as she whipped Joe's student card out from her pocket. "You mean this?" she asked with a straight face, the smile still poking at her lips.

"Yeah, that," Joe confirmed as he reached forward, only to have Brook's hand snake a few inches away. Joe groaned and reached forward and within moments it looked as though Joe was trying to climb on top of Brook for some reason or another.

"_Flirting_," Shayla coughed loudly, making the pair freeze, Joe took that opportunity to grab his student card back.

Brook pursed her lip out in a pout and Joe smirked as he tucked it safely into his pocket. "So what are you two ladies got planned for today?" Joe asked, taking a swift bite of his toast.

"I've got to exercise Tar today," Brook shrugged lazily after another sip of her morning coffee. "I don't know if Ms. Lee has got anyone else for me to ride though," she added thoughtfully.

"Karen, Kirsten, and I were planning on going to see a movie, you guys can join us if you want," Shayla said after a moment of thought and a nod.

Joe glanced around. "Anything good playing?"

"That new superhero movie wannabe with Drake Bell," Shayla grinned cheerfully. "You know, that wannabe of..."

"Oh yeah, SpiderMan," Brook nodded with a small smile of recognition. "I heard that was funny," she said, her smiling fading as Jade walked up and full on, just smack dab kissed Joe.

"Morning," she smiled brightly.

Brook's lip curled and she and Shayla stood up in unison. "Morning," they chorused before walking away.

* * *

"Well done, Miss Davis," Ms. Lee praised. "I was going to school Jewel, you can jump on Flight if you'd like," she offered as Brook threw the heavy Western saddle over the saddle door.

Brook looked weary. "When was the last time he was ridden?" she was still pretty annoyed at Jade Wilson and Joe after this morning's events.

"Ms. Bird was schooling him a couple of days ago," Ms. Lee reassured her.

"Oh," Brook said slowly. "I guess so," she agreed as she cooled off Tar.

Almost half an hour later she was jumping on Flight, a high strung black Andalusian/Quarter Horse mare, she could be fiesty, but moments later be as calm as one of the older horses. Advance riders only should explain something.

Ms. Lee rode by with Jewel, her grulla Quarter Horse and gave her a reassuring smile as she jogged to the middle of the arena. The dust swirled at the calm mare's hooves as the wind began to pick up.

Brook felt Flight tense up and she knew if she didn't keep moving and her mind focused, Flight wouldn't take a second step to take off with her. If Brook was nervous, Flight would then become nervous. Brook took in a quick breath before shortening her roping reins a bit and kissing the prancing mare forward. "Easy," she murmured. "Easy does it."

"Press gently and ask for a gentle jog," Ms. Lee called.

Brook nodded once before doing as she said, only to pull back slightly when Flight picked up an eager lope. "Try it again," Ms. Lee encouraged with a smile as her frizzy brown hair whipped into her face.

Brook pressed as light as she could with a simple nudge and smiled in satisfaction when Flight picked up an easygoing jog, she chomped at the bit and her muscles bunched in her haunches as she pranced forward, tail kinked high.

Half an hour later, Flight still 'flighty' as the wind hollered in and out of the indoor arena, making her jump at the slightest of noise, Brook spotted Jade Wilson climbing the bleachers out of the corner of her eye. "Hi Brook!" she called.

That was just enough to make Flight explode, she grabbed the bit and lunged forward in an eager bucking dose as though fireworks had set her off. One stirrup slipped from Brook's foot and she felt herself dangling. "Pull her up," Ms. Lee called anxiously, trying to calm her own horse and maneuver Jewel in front of Flight to stop her.

One more powerful buck from the mare sent Brook over her shoulder and seconds later under the horse, Brook felt a flash of pain go through her back and felt the rushing wind. Her shirt was most likely torn and Brook could only imagine the damage that was being done as she felt two more slices before Ms. Lee hollered, scaring Flight a safe distance away, she ground tied Jewel and jumped off in three seconds flat. She darted to Brook's side and helped her as she struggled to sit up. "Are you ok?" She asked feverently."Can you still hear me?"

"I can hear you," Brook gasped, still trying to catch her breath.

"In," Ms. Lee commanded. "Out."

Brook struggled to breath in and it was sore to breath out, she spluttered for air and forced herself to remain as calm as possible. She shifted and a damper of pain shot through her right thigh, making Brook cringe in pain. Once Brook's breathing had regulated, Ms. Lee began to inspect the girl. "What hurts?" she asked softly, motioning for Jade to stay as still as possible.

"My back," Brook croaked. "An' my leg," she whispered, rubbing her lower right thigh softly.

Ms. Lee ran her index finger across Brook's cheekbone, frowning when it returned covered with a mixture of dust and blood. "Can you walk?" she asked. "We're taking you to the nurses office," she informed the cringing junior as though she were a little six year old again. "Easy does it," she urged.

Brook walked two feet when she sunk to her knees again. "It hurts," she said drowsily, holding the ripped part of her t-shirt so no one could see her undergarments, in shorter terms, a lacy black bra.

"I know, baby," Ms. Lee cooed. "But we need to get you to the nurse," she said with an encouraging smile, tugging softly at Brook's arm, which was still lifted at an awkward angle in Ms. Lee's arms. "Once we get out of the arena, then I'll grab the cart, ok? Just a little bit farther."

Brook flinched before nodding and slowly getting to her feet, her face pale and covered with dirt and dust with smeared blood mixed in. Once the pair had made it outside of the arena, Jade was hopping out of the already running golf cart, Ms. Lee gave her a warning look before she helped Brook into the passenger side and jumping in, gunning the cart as fast as it would go until she stopped in front of the administrations office.

"Bed rest, three days minimum," Nurse Penny smiled, patting Brook's shoulder gently. "I'll inform your teachers," she said and then turned to wide eyed Briana and Michelle with Ashleigh, Diana, and Carmen hovering behind them with worried expressions. "Wake her up every once in a while just to make sure she knows where she is," she added.

Briana and Michelle nodded vigorously.

"Once she gets back to her dorm, straight to sleep," Nurse Penny added sternly.

* * *

After Ms. Lee had dropped the group off, Brook had immediately been taken to her room, where she slowly changed and mutely sunk into her bed with a tired, yet painful groan.

"She did it on purpose," Briana declared hotly. "She wanted that spot in the play and she was willing to do anything do get it," she glared at Michelle, who was disagreeing with the girl.

"Maybe, maybe not," Michelle shrugged, then nodded towards Brook. "Let her sleep," she said softly. "We'll finish this later," she added to Briana, who looked annoyed as they heared a knock.

"I'll get them lost," Briana muttered before she got up and opened the door and slammed it shut. "Jackass," she gritted.

Later that Night-

"Hey Brooky," Michelle smiled. "Feeling better?"

"Fucking sore," Brook groaned, pulling her arms from her navy blue comforter.

"You had a whole shitload of people stop by," Briana smiled tiredly, worry etched on her face as she sat cross legged on her single twin in the middle of the room. "Including jackass."

"I bet Chester pounded his face in," Brook whispered.

Briana managed a small, soft laugh as she got up. "Are you hungry? Me and Michelle were about to head down for a quick dinner if you wanted something."

"Soup," Brook murmured. "Clam chowder or chicken noodle."

"Sure thing," Michelle nodded before they quickly got ready and departed, leaving Brook alone in the three person room.

It had been less than five minutes when her door opened with a soft click, exposing Joe with his student card in hand. "Look, Brook, Jade had some crazy ass idea that we were dating and I'm sorry, ok? Extremely and utterly --" he paused, Brook's appearance finally registering in his mind. "What happened to you?" He whispered, quickly striding over and crouching by her bedisde. "Brook?"

"It's nothing," Brook whispered, focusing her attention on the Coca-Cola clock hanging over Joe's shoulder. "Please, just leave me alone," she whispered.

"Brook --" Joe's face clouded in confusion and pain.

"Just go," Brook murmured, turning to face the wall.

It took Joe a minute, but he quietly walked back over and opened the door, closing it angrily behind him.

_First we're hanging out, then kissing, then getting in trouble, then I'm sneaking into his dorm, and he's smacking with another girl, what next?_ Brook thought in confusion as her vision blurred and she was falling into another dreamless sleep only to be shaken awake almost half an hour later with the return of Briana, Michelle, and her warm cup of clam chowder.

* * *

_Dear Brooklynn,_

_I miss you so much, honey. I can just picture your smiling face and this 'Avatar' fellow you keep gushing about in your emails. I can tell he makes you smile and I hope your father is keeping you just as happy. Maybe you can come to New York this Christmas and we can watch the ball drop on TV while eating popcorn while we used to and if you'd like, I can curl you long brown hair. Just like old times, huh, baby? Tell me how school's going,_

_Love you more than anything in the world, remember that._

_-Mom_

_xoxo_

"God, why the hell does my life have to be so fucking difficult?" Brook groaned, slamming the top of her laptop down and shoving it further down the comforter as she leaned against her pillows, awaiting the arrival of someone to cheer her up. It was only Monday and Brook was even more depressed than before.

"Email from mom?" Briana asked sympathetically, dropping her bag on the floor as she tossed Brook a piece of pizza wrapped in tin-foil. "What'd she say?"

"Check my email," Brook urged with a saddened sigh. "She makes it sound like nothing's fucking wrong with her!"

"She doesn't want you to be worried," Briana said softly. "As you said, the chemo was going well the last time you checked."

"But the way she avoids it, Bri!" Brook shrilled. "It's like she doesn't even fucking care that she might fucking die! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" she screamed, her face a crimson red from the screaming and she let out a breath of air.

"Is it all gone?" Briana questioned, knowing Brook better than almost anyone except close family and Shayla.

"Yeah," Brook nodded breathlessly, heaving for air after her little episode. "I'm done," she confirmed.

"Ok," Briana said with a reassuring smile, Briana wasn't the type of best friend to lie, she never was and she never will be, so she left it at that. "Still sore?"

"I think my little episode made it worse," Brook laughed icily, making Briana wince in surprise. "My life is officially screwed up."

"Hear-hear!" Briana raised her pizza slice and they both laughed.

* * *

"She's getting worse," Michelle whispered to Shayla. "It's like she doesn't care anymore."

"But he already tried apologizing!" Shayla exclaimed in protest, her eyes flashing defiance.

"They're both depressed, end of story," Diana muttered. "Look at him!" She exclaimed, nodding towards Joe, who was sitting at his usual lunch table slouched over and dejected as girls tried to hang on him. He shook his head and stood up, swaggering away oblivious to his brother's confused looks.

The cafeteria became deathly silent in three seconds and Shayla immediately glanced up, her head swiveling around to find the source of the sudden silence until she spotted Brook hobbling over to the table. "Oh shit," Shayla gasped before darting up and over to Brook. "What the hell are you doing?" She whispered anxiously, pressing up against Brook's left side while Kirsten followed in suit, balencing her right side.

"I'm getting out of that stupid hell hole and getting breakfast," Brook growled, her eyes betraying the pain as she was led over to the usual table that they had always had.

From across the cafeteria, where Ashleigh and Carmen were talking to Kevin, they too had seen Brook and were walking over as quickly as they could without being scolded by the on duty teachers. A bit bewildered, Kevin trailed after them, keeping a good two feet behind them in his black skinny jeans. Damn those jeans. "What is she doing here?" Carmen asked as soon as she was in earshot.

"She _should _be in bed, we know," Diana agreed, her arms folded as Karen scurried away to get her something to quench the monsterous hunger she had.

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here," Brook hissed ill-temperedly, her fingers tapping impatiently on the table.

"Well, you shouldn't be," Ashleigh snorted, giving Brook a quick once over.

Brook's lip curled as she fell silent, watching the group with flaring gray eyes, the laces on her Converse diverting her eyes momentarily before she glanced back up, the tapping never ceasing on her silver coated fingernails.

_Tap._

"We should get her back," Carmen argued, her lips pursed in a straight line.

_Tap._

"It's not like she's going to go willingly, so what's the point?" Diana protested while Briana nodded agreement. "She's stubborn, just like Joe."

_Slam._

Everyone turned to look at Brook, who was slowly lifting her hand from the table, the blood slowly rushing to her left palm as her face twisted with rage and pain. "All I want is fucking food and a day without_ him_," she spat out, using Joe's name like a foreign disease. "Can I at least have _that_?"

Kevin looked startled, Carmen leaned over and whispered something into his ear hastily as Brook watched his expression changed to one of bewilderment to one of knowledge with a pinch of pain.

"Here Brook, potatoes, ok?" Karen asked, setting down two small plates, one with potatoes and one with fruits.

"Yeah, thanks," Brook jerked her head, which Karen misinterpreted for a nod before she took her seat once more. She stabbed at the breakfast potatoes before taking a bite and watching her group of close friends wearily.

"Brooklynn fucking Davis, what the hell are you doing down here?" A masculine voice hissed, taking an aggrivated seat next to the junior with a hard look. "You should be up in your room, damnit, instead of walking all the way --"

"Screw you, Chester," Brook snarled, her face twisting with rage once more. "I don't need this shit from you or anyone else," her eyes were narrowed into slits as it grazed past everyone nearby. "I can handle myself."

"Obviously not," Briana cut in with a look of disbelief. "Or else you wouldn't have taken any shit from Joe and you wouldn't have vented by riding."

Brook opened her mouth for a hot retort, but nothing came out and she simply turned back down to her meal. "That's what I thought," Briana observed. "After this, straight back to the dorm unless you'd like to keep missing drama because personally, you're missing out on a whole lot of shit going on," she smirked, knowing that Brook would catch on fast.

"Fuck him," Brook whispered. "And screw her, they can go live their perfect little _fucking_ lives --"

"So you'll be there?" Briana prompted, cutting her friend off with an eager smirk.

"Wouldn't miss it," Brook nodded, shoving another forkful of morning potatoes in her mouth.

* * *

"Fuck it, get out," Brook shrieked. "Get the fuck out, _now_!"

"Listen to what I have to say and _then _I'll leave," Joe said evenly, folding his arms with his signature half smirk.

Brook's arms covered her bra covered chest and she flushed, Joe had managed to slip in while she was getting changed, right now, it was only a pair of gray sweatpants that hung low on her hips and a black bra. "I'm practically naked," she squealed with an annoyed expression.

"Just the ammo I need to keep you listening," Joe cocked an eyebrow, indicating he had already known the well obvious facts.

Only the occasional flickering eyes made Brook well aware that Joe was checking her out, nonetheless in almost no clothes. "Are you going to just stand there or are you going to talk?" Brook challenged.

Joe's lip curled in amusement which made Brook bristle indignantly before he took a breath. "Jade had this crazy idea that we were going 'steady' because I asked her to the dance last week," he said, using air quotes to make his point. "And she also thinks you and her are best friends, which makes me think otherwise, but you do look pretty cute all jealous like that."

"Me? Jealous?" Brook scoffed, her lips splitting into a broad smile. "Puh-lease."

"Why else would you walk off like that?" Joe pointed out, his arms crossed as he took a few steps forward. "Call it whatever you want, Brooky," she bristled, it wasn't the most amusing nickname in the world. "But you were definitely jealous."

"You can't just walk in here and apologize and then accuse me of being jealous," Brook stated defiantly.

Joe's hand snaked out and roughly grabbed the back of Brook's neck before crashing his lips down on hers. Startled, but responsive Brook made the move to try and deepen in, but Joe pulled back with a sly smirk. "You're not the only one with a backup plan," he whispered, his breath hitting the side Brook's neck before he tossed a dazzling smile over his shoulder and walked out the door.

Brook shook her head in disbelief. _He played me, just like I played him._

* * *

"Every-body...all...for...one," Angel said slowly, demonstrating the choreographed moves one last time. "A...real...summer...has...just...begun. Now let's try it from the top one last time and then we can break."

She waved her hand at RJ Cross, who was helping Angel, and he pressed _PLAY_ on the CD player. "I want to hear every single one of you!" Angel added before the music started.

After they had sung and danced to _All For One_ at least fifteen times that later afternoon, they were finally done. Half an hour before dinner in the cafeteria was set out. "Tomorrow I want to see Davis and Jonas for their duets!" Angel added.

Brook groaned and sank to the floor after feeling the burn in her legs, Joe took one look at her and burst out laughing. "Can't handle it?" He smirked. "Or can't handle me?"

"Please," Brook snorted, fanning her face.

"I know, I have that effect on people," Joe announced at Brook's flushing face as she sat down on the ground.

"Soak it up, Jonas," Brook muttered.


	9. You Are The Music In Me

**_Ah-mazing_, _guys totally rock! I love, love, love my readers and reviewers!! Totally awesome, I was hoping for 100 after this, but hey, 110 is fine with me. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love reviews, absolutely love them. A couple things- If you haven't been mentioned yet in the story, PM me and I'll stick you in there, suggestions are awesome, and holler at me if I've misspelled your name or whatever and if you want to ride horses, then sweet, PM me about that too! LoLz- read on! :) I'm reposting again because my computer is being weird and is saying that this page doesn't exist, so...yeah._**

Chapter 8

You Are The Music In Me

Brook was conciderably happy when she joined everyone at her normal table, glancing at her two cousins and roommate in surprise when she saw Kevin and Nick Jonas sitting at the table as well, Kevin in between the two and Nick sitting to the left of Michelle. "How was practice?" Briana asked cheerfully.

"Practice was pracitce," Brook shrugged, squeezing in next to Shayla and across from Briana. "I've got duet practice tomorrow, joy."

Briana grinned and shook her head. "That's what you get for smacking a Jonas in the middle of the night."

Kevin and Nick looked startled at the comment. "So that's why Joe got in trouble?" Nick asked quietly, his eyes watching Briana carefully.

"Why? Did he not tell you?" Briana gasped, her hand covering her mouth to stifle laughter.

"Joe!" Kevin called loudly, making Briana glance up sharply. "Nice of you to join us, eh?"

"Um, kay?" Joe guessed, using one arm to shove Brook further down the seat. "So what are we all talking about?"

"Nice of you to ask, Joe," Nick grunted, taking a bite of steak as Kevin snorted.

_Ah, brotherly love_, Brook thought in amusement, her hand resting softly on her diet Coke can, which had moist water droplets from being refrigerated. "I hope you haven't gotten in any trouble lately?" Kevin went on smoothly.

"Like?" Joe snorted, taking a massive bite of his cheeseburger. "I mean, Mr. Bailey did yell at me the other day for being late for class, but that was pretty much it."

"Wong answer," Nick blinked.

"How about going around on campus in the middle of the night to kiss girls?" Kevin asked with a completely serious face.

"Oh," Joe shrugged lazily. "That."

"Yeah, _that_," Kevin nodded, leaning against the table to check Joe's reaction. "Dude, what happened to telling us everything? I thought that shit was a rumor."

"What's with the third degree?" Joe queried, tipping his head to one side as his eyes remained as calm as they were when he sat down. "It was a kiss, big whoop, I don't ask what you two do alone."

* * *

"Hey-ya buddy," Brook smiled as she walked up to Avatar's stall after an longer than usual dinner with her friends. "I know I shouldn't be down here, but Ash is going to get some time in with Polly and I offered to come along," she murmured, running her hands down his finely sculpted and refined head, tracing his spots of white.

Brook grabbed a brush and slipped into his stall, closing it behind her as she ran the brush down Tar's lengthy body, watching as stray hair swirled in a circle before falling to the hay on the ground. "Eh," Brook squealed as Tar turned and nudged her back. "That's sore, don't do that," she warned, flicking his nose softly before sweeping her gaze over his now gleaming black coat. "You're lucky I'm done," she added, her stone gray eyes narrowed playfully as she pushed Tar's nose back so she could come out of the stall.

"Hey! I thought you stopped by your dorm first," Ashleigh called breathlessly, jogging up to the barn. "How's Tar?"

"Nope, good, and bored," Brook answered with a half shrug as she picked up his personalized leather engraved halter and twisted red lead rope.

"What are you doing?" Ashleigh asked wearily, picking up Polly's halter.

"Oh, nothing," Brook said dismissively. "I was thinking of cleaning his halter," she lied, hoping Ashleigh would believe it and just start getting Polly ready.

"Uhuh," she grunted in disbelief before she disappeared into the tack room the grab Polly's stuff, while Brook walked into the palomino's stall and brought her out, tying her to the cross-ties as Ashleigh walked out, lugging her Western saddle, pad, and bridle all at once. "Help me," she laughed. "I'm going to fucking crash."

Brook smiled before she walked over and plucked the bridle off of the horn and walked a few paces away. "Oh, real big help B," Ashleigh groaned, but the senior couldn't help but laugh.

"You never said exactly what I needed to grab," Brook replied with a broad smile as she placed the tooled leather bridle on the hook while leaning against the empty stall. "But I did grab something," she pointed out.

"Whatever, you little ass," Ashleigh rolled her eyes and began brushing the tangles out of the nearly white mane.

Half an hour later, Ashleigh was on Polly and Brook was leading Avatar out of the barn and towards the indoor arena. Brook closed the gate behind her and perched herself on top of the gate while Avatar grazed with the little sprouts of grass that were at the egde of the arena. When Ashleigh had reached the other side of the arena, Brook grinned before jumping off of the fence and hopping next to Tar before she managed to get onto his back. Avatar snorted before lowering his head and returned to grazing. "Silly boy," she laughed, glancing up when she heard the soft padding, indicating that Ashleigh and Polly were coming closer.

"You imp!" Ashleigh screeched when she finally noticed that Brook was not on the fence nor on the ground anymore, but on her horse. "You little impulsive imp!"

"It's the way I am," Brook smiled as she jogged passed, twirling her left index finger into the coal black mane as her right hand lightly grasped the leadrope.

"You Stacey Westfall wannabe!" Ashleigh laughed aloud joyously when she passed again.

Brook gasped in mock indignation before calling out. "At least Stacey rides better than you can!" She hollered playfully and then heard a collective gasp come from her older cousin.

* * *

"Your man whore is here," Ashleigh grinned as Brook rode passed at a calm and easy going canter, in just a halter and leadrope.

"Bitch," Brook's eyes narrowed slightly as she shook her head at the playfull senior before she scanned the outskirts of the arena, her gaze resting briefly on the figure that was Joe Jonas.

Brook shifted and let her legs slide forward and Avatar slid to a stop, with a simple nudge, he was completing a rollback in the other direction. She tugged at a belt loop after sitting through a jog and stopping. "Hi?" She guessed, wondering why in hell Joe Jonas would be down in the equestrian part of the school, although he had been on the track, it was shared.

"Hey," he nodded coolly, a half smirk resting on his lips, the hazel eyed boy eyed her, knowing very well she shouldn't be on or near a horse for the next couple of days. "Wanna hang out later?" He asked instead.

"Your place?" Brook prompted with a bright gaze as she scanned the 5'10 muscle mass to the side of her, she rested the leadrope across Avatar's whithers and hid her smirk from sight.

Joe chuckled and he smiled. "If you want," he gave a careless half shrug.

"Then I'll see you at six thirty?" Brook offered, it was almost six o'clock now and she still needed to shower and change.

"That works," Joe confirmed, his bangs flipping into his face as his lips curled in a satisfied smile.

"I'm almost done, too," Brook added when he glanced briefly at Avatar and passed his shoulder to Ashleigh and Polly.

"Never said anything," he protested, holding his hands up in defense.

"Checking out my horse?" Brook grinned cheekily. "It's either that or you're jealous," she micmicked.

"Whatever," Joe laughed. "See you later?"

"Totally," Brook nodded in agreement before she watched Joe turn and walk back up to the dorms.

"Oh, and Brook," Joe called over his shoulder, pausing briefly.

Brook jerked her head, telling him she had heard him. "Knock this time, no sneaking in."

* * *

Brook straightened her hair before hesitantly knocking on the door. "Brook? You're...here?"

Brook laughed softly. "Joe wanted to see if we could hang out, no need to call the cops on me Nick."

Nick shrugged in reply before stepping back and letting the older girl inside. "Joe'll be right out," he added before slipping passed her.

"Hey Nick!" Joe's voice hollered as it got closer, revealing Joe in just a towel wrapped loosely around his torso, his shaggy black hair clinging to his face and neck after just coming out of the shower, how he remained this tan over the last couple of weeks was the newest question for Brook.

Brook simply gave him one glance before she tried desperately to keep a straight face, she fixed her eyes on Joe's face and kept it there, knowing if she didn't, the blush would creep even further up on her neck.

"Nevermind, dude," Joe smirked, standing with pride as he flaunted himself to the girl. "I'll be back," he called, turning on one heel and walking back into his room.

"Does he always do that?" Brook blurted, turning to Nick, who was sitting on a leather office chair with an acoustic guitar in hand, strumming softly.

He glanced up, his eyes glowing with wisdom beyond his fifteen years of age, he blinked. "Not usually," he admitted. "But he's _Joe_," he said before returning to his guitar, leaving Brook in a brief state of bewilderment.

Joe walked back out in a pair of gray skinny jeans and a t-shirt slung casually over his shoulder."It's safe to come in now," he said.

"Bye Nick," Brook said with a small smile before she retreated into Joe's room, where she flopped onto his unmade bed with a smile. "The Joe Jonas lair in light," she declared in mock amusement.

"Hey, it's not that bad," Joe laughed, lounging on a beanbag. "Besides, the best part is all the DVD's we have. Wanna watch one?"

"Depends on what you have to watch," Brook answered slyly.

"Adam Sandler?" Joe grinned.

"_50 First Dates_?" Brook pressed curiously and nearly squealed aloud when Joe nodded and stood up, he threw open a cabinet under his TV and his eyes scanned the three shelves filled with DVD's until he plucked one out of the second row, nodding as he shoved it into the DVD player and pressing _PLAY _but after a moment paused it.

"Can you listen to something for me?" he asked with hesitant eyes. "And tell me how you like it?"

"Sure," Brook nodded, curious as Joe grabbed an acoustic guitar.

"No laughing," he warned with a sly, yet nervous look as he began strumming.

_Everytime I think I'm close to the heart,  
What it means to know just who I am.  
I think I've finally found a better place to start,  
Where no one ever seems to understand.  
I need to try to get to where you are,  
Could it be you're not that far?  
You're the voice I hear inside my head,  
The reason that I'm singing.  
I need to find you...  
I gotta find you._

He smiled hesitantly after setting the guitar aside and Brook was stunned, that was an incredibly...romantic, sappy, touching song. "Th-that was amazing!" she blurted. "When'd you write that?"

He shrugged with a slight flush, "It was stuck in my head for a little while and it just slowly came together, Kevin and Nick helped with chords and the right melody and stuff, but this was the second time I've played it."

"And whose it for?" Brook teased, preparing herself for some bologna answer from Joe, "Some girl back home?"

He simply shook his head and left his unwavering gaze on Brook before he walked over to the edge of the bed and jumped behind Brook so he was leaning against the wall and his pillows, the shirt over his shoulder had fallen to the ground when he got up to grab the DVD. He smiled when Brook turned pink and unpaused the movie.

Joe's arm snaked around and pulled Brook back by her waist. "You little shit," she muttered, her eyes gleaming in affection.

"You love it," Joe murmured in reply, nuzzling her lower jaw as her previews dragged on.

"It's possible," Brook smiled, stifling the giggles that were bubbling in her throat as she pulled Joe's bare arm around her with a soft tug.

* * *

At the end of the day, the night after their little 'cuddling' session, Brook snuck up behind Joe and aimed her foot at Joe's butt, watching as he whirled in surprise. "You little imp," he growled playfully, wrapping an arm around her shoulders after catching her with a swift lunge. "What're you doing today?"

"Duet practice?" Brook prompted with an exasperated look.

"I knew that," he grinned, telling Brook otherwise.

"You forgot," Brook sighed, rolling her eyes. "C'mon, we've got to go before Angel murders us," she said, pulling at his arm.

"Chill Brook," Joe chuckled, kissing her hair.

Brook made a face and Joe returned to putting his unwanted books in his locker.

* * *

"My place, same time, same place?" Joe asked as Brook threw her sports bag over her shoulder, prepared to leave for her dorm.

"How 'bout now?" Brook replied. "Who needs dinner?" she added with a seductive lick of her lips and what she hoped was an eager expression.

Joe shifted feet and glanced at his watch before nodding eagerly. "Dinner is overrated."

Joe threw the petite framed girl's sports bag somewhere in the larger of the dorms and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder and into his room, which was probably as messy as last night. Running his tongue across her lower lip, Joe groaned in discomfort before easily picking Brook up and straddling her and teasing her with a few nibbles on her earlobe, only pausing to stare into her eyes and kissing her once more.

"You're really something, Jonas," Brook whispered as she lifted herself upwards.

Brook flew off when she heard a loud thump coming from the hallway. "C'mon, it's nothing," Joe said, grabbing her outstretched wrist and pulling lightly on it.

Brook frowned and slapped her hand over Joe's mouth before she tiptoed forward, pressing her ear against the door, only to fly back in surprise, her eyes wide and mouth agape. "What...wait, who is it?" he whispered.

"Listen," Brook giggled.

Joe gave her a weird look before he, too, pressed his ear against the door, then nearly hurled. "Is that --?"

"I'm pretty sure that's Michelle," Brook blurted, then covered her mouth to cover her broad smile as she continued listening through the door. "Wait, lemme text her," she urged, pulling out her phone. _Hey Michelle! Wassup? -Brook_

The pair listened until they heard Michelle squeal aloud. "Sorry Nick, it's my phone," she apologized with a giggle. "Brook," she growled in amusement. _Hey B, not the best time. Text me later? Michelle_

Brook grinned broadly before replying. _Why something you're not telling me? Where are you anyways? -Brook_

Michelle squealed again and Nick groaned. "Sorry, ladies before babies," she stated before replying.

Brook nearly coughed aloud after hearing that statement she used to joke around with her close friends. "Don't reply, just listen," Joe suggested with a wry smile before pressing his ear against the wall as they listened for something interesting.

"Ladies before babies?" Nick asked in confusion. "What the hell?"

"It's like the one guys use...bro's before hoe's," Michelle laughed before they heard her phone slide onto the table and Nick's door close.

"That's just..." Brook shudddered. glancing up at Joe.

"Wrong? Disgusting on many levels?" Joe offered and Brook nodded. "Even though we were doing the same thing?" he added with a hearty chuckle.

Brook made a face at him and he eagerly grabbed her hand. "Let's go bust 'em," he grinned.

"What? No!" Brook gasped. "Then if they hear _us_ and do the same thing," she pointed out.

"So?" Joe crossed his arms with a signature half smirk. "If you're with me, then we keep going."

Brook slapped his shoulder and narrowed her eyes. "_If_ you're with me, then we find someplace else," she pursed her lips out with a firm look. "I'm _very_ picky."

Joe sighed in defeat. "Fine," he agreed, nodding once.

"We can still make dinner?" Brook offered as she straightened her hair in Joe's mirror and tugged at the hem of her Wet Seal t-shirt, she looked around and spotted her jacket lying on the floor in a crumpled heap next to Joe's blazer.

She walked over and dipped down, grabbing her jacket and tossing Joe his black blazer before straightening to her 5'8 frame and smoothed out her shirt once more. "How about we grab something to eat and I show you one of the nicest places on campus," Joe suggested, twitching his head in a nod. "That's not my bedroom or a storage closet," he added after getting a glance at Brook's skeptical face.

"Hmmm," Brook mused. "Kay," she nodded in agreement, following Joe's silent lead as they slipped out of his room and out into the hallway.

* * *

"You're right, Hollywood," Brook smiled as she leaned against the rock facing the moonlit lake. "This is nicer than your room."

Joe almost spit out his drink and he shook his head. "Whatever, Davis," he grunted, popping a Lay's potato chip in his mouth.

_The way we get loose,_

_We move our shoulders, forward._

_Head back,_

_Get it in control like Janet Jack --_

"Lo?" Brook asked, setting her vitamin water aside. "Um, kinda. Why?"

"Now? It's nearly six?"

"Did he tell you why?"

"Upset? Why would Headmaster Hamilton look upset?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Give me five minutes," Brook sighed before she hung up.

"Where're you going?" Joe asked, startled at her sudden haste to leave.

"Bri said people were on a searching frenzy for me, apparently the Headmaster wants me in his office," Brook explained with an apologetic look as she grabbed her water. "Text me tonight?"

Joe sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

"Thanks," Brook smiled in relief, kissing his cheek before darting back towards campus.

* * *

"Well Brook..." Headmaster Hamilton looked uncomfortable as well as upset. "I don't want to be the one to tell you this, but your mom passed away an hour ago."


	10. Gone

_**I don't normally do this, but because you guys rock so much, I'm posting another chapter. LoLz. Just to get the Brook and her mom thing going. So enjoy this one too, LoLz. But don't expect another one until at least Wednesday night or Friday night. :P I do have it written, but I like suspense, don't you? LoLz. I'm doing that alot aren't I? LoLz? Whatever, so...enjoy!**_

Chapter 9

Gone

For the second time during the school year, Brooklynn Davis was given time off from school work. According to her teachers, "As long as she needed for a full recovery", they claimed. Her father and stepmother forbid her from going to New York in the beginning of the school year to go to her own mom's funeral, but it had been a good week later when Brook was buzzed down to the barn.

"Sign here, Miss Davis," The man said, thrusting her a clipboard and a pen before he walked around and dropped the back of the trailer, before disappearing inside, he came down moments later with a pudgy mare pracing at the end of the leadrope.

"Could you tell me where he came from?" Brook asked quietly, her eyes registering the overweight mare, obviously been a long way..

"New York City, miss," The man said with an uneven breath of air. "And this letter came with it," he added, handing her an unopened sky blue envelope and the leadrope. "Have a nice evening," he added, tipping his hat before jumping back into the cab of the truck and driving away.

Brook clucked her tongue softly before leading the fat so-called horse inside, she found an empty stall next to Polly and led the mare inside before closing the door and sitting on Ashleigh's tackbox and opening the envelope.

_Dearest Brooklynn,_

_I cannot express anything in the world that would tell you how much I would miss you. Knowing your pain in the ass stepmother, they probably agreed that you should stay in school, which is why I sent Lady Bird to you, she's in foal and should be due near the beginning of February. She's the last of the Kaytee lineage and I know you would have liked her once you had come to New York for New Years Eve. Once that baby of hers is weaned, keep Lady going, she's still got some years. Maybe even Diana to ride with you and Ashleigh. As I'm writing this letter, I'm looking at a picture of you and Avatar at your first show and that tri-colored championship ribbon hooked proudly around his neck. Just remember that I love you more than anything in the world and no matter what, you'll always be my baby girl._

_Love Always,_

_Patricia Kaytee_

Brook silently let tears roll down her cheeks as she set the letter aside and looked up at the mare. "No wonder you're so fat," she murmured to herself. "You'll have a pretty baby."

Lady bobbed her head and Brook stood up, leaving the letter and the rest of the envelope's contents on the tack box before she walked into the feed room and grabbed a bucket of alfalfa cubes. "You like these, don't you?" Brook whispered as she poured them into the feed bin, watching as the mare dipped her head inside and eagerly bit on one. "Yeah, that's what I thought," she nodded, rubbing under her mane before setting the bucket down and sitting back down.

There was another, smaller envelope for Diana and some registry papers for what Patti Kaytee called 'Lady Bird'. Brook hastily shoved the papers into her own tack box before she grabbed Avatar's halter and leadrope before she clipped it on and walked outside, jumping on an urging Avatar in a ground eating canter, any which way he wanted, Brook just wanted to go.

"Brook?" An unfamiliar, yet very familiar voice asked as she stared blankly at the lake.

Brook turned, tears drenching her face. "Joe," she croaked out before running over and leaping into his arms for comfort. "She promised we would spend New Years together, she lied," she whispered.

"Hey, don't think like that," Joe gave a small, lopsided smile. "C'mon, we should get you back. It's growing colder by the hour and after you put Tar away, we can watch _50 First Dates_ if you want."

"M'kay," Brook sniffled before she walked back over to where Avatar was grazing patiently where she had ground-tied him.

She grabbed his red leadrope off of the soggy, almost icy grass and walked over to Joe, who put a comforting arm around her shoulder before they walked back to the barn. After feeding Avatar and Polly, she scribbled a quick note to Ashleigh, grabbed the envelopes, and followed Joe back to his room for some much needed comfort.

* * *

The next day, after much cajoling. Brook returned to her classes, all seven of them, plus her drama and riding that took up most of her late afternoon and went well into the night. It was third period World History again with Mr. Martinez. "World War II!" he declared after everyone had settled down. "One of the most horrific battles in _history_! If they didn't die in battle, they died from the plagues and diseases!"

Brook's hand shot up and her bottom lip trembled. "Mr. Martinez, can I sit outside for a second? Please," she pleaded, tears threatening to slip from her already glazed over eyes.

Mr. Matinez nodded, looking a bit guilty for his poor choice of words. Brook got up and knocked her book to the floor in the process, walking outside and closing the door behind her before she curled up, hugging her knees to her chest as she sniffled. Mr. Martinez walked out ten minutes later, still looking guilty and apologetic. "I'm sorry for my misused choice of words, Miss Davis, and I'm sorry about the loss of your mother," he continued. "From what I heard, she was a wonderful student here at Woodland Hills, Headmaster Hamilton should know, he taught her during her senior year."

"Really?" Brook asked in surprise, her dark gray eyes meeting the older brown of Mr. Martinez.

"Yes," Mr. Martinez smiled, taking off his glasses momentarily to grab the hem of his plaid dress shirt to clean them before placing them back on. "He said the two of you are alike in many ways, he can see your mother in you, and you should be proud," he reported.

"I am," Brook nodded softly. "My mother was amazing," she sighed, burying the side of her face into her vest.

Mr. Martinez smiled and folded his arms with a soft look of sympathy. "You come back inside when you're ready," he said before opening the door and letting it close behind him.

It took a couple more minutes before Brook stood up and walked back inside, sitting back down at her desk, her face held no expression, even when Joe tossed her a note. _You ok? -Joe_

Those two little measly words have been tossed at Brook at least fifty times or more since she came back to school early this morning and everytime it was the same answer, a half shrug and a small smile, this time it was no different. Even Briana couldn't get another answer out of her, but it was Friday, after today, she could bug her friend for a different answer.

By the time school was over, Brook had broken down in two more classes and almost every teacher said the same thing to her. "Blah blah blah mother," "Blah blah blah take your time" and the famous one "Blah blah blach you look just like your mom, you should be proud, blahbity-blah."

Brook shoved her bag into her locker and made her way down to the barn, where Lady had her head slung over the bottom portion of the stall, greeting the girl she had known for less than a week with a hearty nicker. "Do you think I look like mom?" Brook asked, running her hands over the mare's ears, listening as she whoofed her appreciation. "You pudgy little thing, I'll take you walking after I finish play practice," she smiled, feeding her part of a carrot she had taken from her back pocket as she passed the cafeteria on the way down.

She fed another to her before feeding the rest to Tar and Polly before she grabbed her bag off of Tar's tackbox and walked to drama practice.

* * *

"Can I help you?" Brook asked a puzzled older man as he scratched the back of his head in confusion.

"I'm looking for," he paused, reading the name off of a clipboard before glancing back up again. "A Diana Davis?"

"I'm her sister," Brook responded. "Brooklynn Davis," she announced as she saw Lady's fuzzy head bob up from her feed bin further down the hall.

"Oh, good, I'm looking for you too then," the man responded, pulling his scarf to fit him snugger against the chilly winds.

"Who and where is this from?" Brook asked wearily, knowing the answer already.

"A Ted and Veronica Davis from Los Angeles, California," the man replied as Ashleigh walked up with a clouded face.

"What's this?" she asked, motioning towards the trailer in the yard.

"Veronica's trying to out-do my dead mother," Brook hissed venomously as the man walked down with a dappled gray gelding in hand.

"Miss Davis, if you will?"

"Can you grab the other one?" Brook gritted before she grabbed the leadrope and clicked the horse into the nearly full barn. _Good thing they already had plans to build another barn,_ she thought as she bit her lip, leading the easygoing gelding into the empty stall next to Tar before she began removing his shipping boots.

Although the barn held almost sixty horses, it was nearly full with the oncoming riders that were enrolling and being accepted in Woodland Hills, plus more were coming after the New Years.

"I'm sticking this one in the stall in between Jewel and Flight!" Ashleigh called.

"Yeah, thanks," Brook responded with an irritable sigh. "That'll get sleep," she muttered as she took off the gray's travel blanket and she caught her breath. This horse was amazing, she ran her hand down his neck and through his barrel and couldn't help but try not to be impressed.

"Is your horse looking as fucking awesome as this one is?" Ashleigh hollered in excitement, her face suddenly appearing through the steel rods to prevent from fighting, her eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Um, miss?" The guy called hesitantly. "Could you sign this please?"

"Oh right, sorry," Brook nodded before she slipped out of the stall and scribbled her signature on it before waving and quickly making her way towards the stall where Ashleigh was quivering in excitement. "Holy shit," she uttered, shaking her head in complete disbelief at a broad, muscular chesnut with a blaze. "They just _have _to be better," she sighed in agrivation.

"I'm going to call D from the barn phone," Ashleigh squealed before slipping out and walking away, scattering the three hens that were pecking at the ground, shuffling around.

Brook's phone rang and she grabbed it. "Hello?" she frowned.

"Hey hun, did they arrive?" Her father's voice said cheerfully though the phone as though nothing was wrong.

"Are you trying to make me forget mom or is this something that Veronica _suggested_?" Brook snapped, startling the chestnut. "I don't _need_ another horse! I've already got a wonderful gelding and mom's mare."

Ted's voice was startled. "It was Veronica's idea to get you another horse..."

"That should tell you something, dad," she spat out. "How much did these two cost? How much?" she demanded.

Ted paused and Brook let out an uneasy breath. "Don't even answer that," she protested with her mind suddenly whirling at the news. "Remember when Veronica said that she didn't like smelly _old_ horses? What the hell changed?"

"Brook, language," Ted warned. "Nothing changed, honey. She was looking around one day for something or another and she said she found the perfect gifts for you and Diana," he explained slowly. "And she wanted to do it before our honeymoon to Puerto Rico."

"Didn't you already have a f --"

"Brooklynn," Ted interjected firmly.

"Didn't you already have a _flippin'_ honeymoon?" Brook corrected herself with an annoyed look. "Knowing Veronica, there's probably something wrong with these..._things,_" she hated to call them that, but when Veronica touched them, they were officially concidered 'things' unless proven otherwise.

"We did, but Veronica thought--"

"Veronica thought, dad!" Brook exclaimed hotly into the phone. "God, that girl can't do anything on her own! She even chose her own friggen engagement ring!"

"Brooklynn Jade," Ted reprimanded. "She's part of the family now and she deserves --"

_Click._

"Whatever dad," Brook sighed, shoving her iPhone into the back pocket of her dark blue flaring jeans. "She don't deserve shit, stupid bitch," she muttered as she walked back down the barn isle to where Lady's head was bobbing eargerly at the new arrivals.

"Hey B! Tell Diana I'm not shitting with her!" Ashleigh yelped, sticking the phone out into the isle.

"Ashleigh's not shitting you!" Brook rolled her eyes and Ashleigh brought the phone back into the office with a triumphant squeal.

"Hello Brook, ready?" Ms. Lee strode into the barn with her usual wear, a button down and faded chaps over her dusty jeans, frizzy brown hair pulled back into one single French-braid. "Your father already faxed me with copies of their registration and with the board," she went on briskly. "I'd like you to give Skylark a try and when...if Diana decides to join us, she can aquaint herself with Nightingale, if not, then I'd like for Ashleigh to hop on."

"Diana says she'll come down tomorrow in the late afternoon," Ashleigh reported as she strode down the isle. "She's re-taking a test."

"Get ready and I'd like to see the both of you in the East arena within twenty minutes," Ms. Lee said hastily as she slung her saddle onto Jewel's back with a quick intake of breath.

* * *

"Ashleigh! Fix your position and keep your heels down!" Ms. Lee called, then turned Jewel with a simple nudge. "Brook, keep your horse in check! I want the both of you in top form for the local competition Wednesday after school!"

_Crap, I forgot about that, _Brook groaned inwardly, giving Skylark half halts to keep his eager stride from bounding forward even more. Compared to Brazilan bred Avatar, Skylark was bred in Northern California and was at least 14.6 hands or so, comapred to Tar's 14.3 hands. There was a complete difference between the two besides the obvious coloring and personality. Sky was outgoing and eager to please, always a bouncy stride, never faultering even though he was drenched in sweat. Bred to please.

"Ah, Nicole, nice of you to join us!" Ms. Lee called, motioning for Giovanna to catch up.

Giovanna was also on the reining team, a petite freshman on a 15 hand high bald faced liver chestnut with four equal stockings was quite a sight at most shows, although awkward, the pair scored quite high, causing a storm from the other larger riders on their small, fleet footed Quarter Horses. "Hey Gigi!" Ashleigh called cheerfully.

Giovanna smiled and nodded in response before pushing her horse, Stretch, into a jog. The poor freshman made it look so easy with a larger horse, but she was trying hard not to cringe when Stretch bounced around like that.

"Ah, Vanessa!" Ms. Lee called as another rider walked into the arena and closed the gate from atop her little dun. "Pick up a jog!"

Giovanna flashed Vanessa a welcoming smile, the two were roomates on the first floor of Chestnut Hill, they had another girl as their roomate and she rode as well. "Christine is coming in a sec!" Vanessa called as she jogged forward. "She's getting Taco ready!"

Ah, Taco was Christine's prized posession, besides her iPhone anyways. The flighty mare could cut and rein like there was no tomorrow and the way she earned her nickname was actually pretty amusing. The day after Taco had arrived at Woodland Hills, Headmaster Hamilton decided to visit the barn during a barbeque and while petting Taco, she kind of...ate Headmaster Hamilton's taco, so the name stuck.

"Is Nicole coming as well?" Ms. Lee called.

Nicole Pinder was a sophomore and rode another flighty mare, a sorrel with a stripe, named Roo. Don't ask.

"I saw her walking down!" Vanessa replied after a moment of thought and a swift nod.

Ms. Lee nodded thoughtfully. "I want two people on the rail working on rollbacks and the others working on their spins!" she instructed from her spot on Jewel.

"Hey Ms. Lee! Can we play music?" Ashleigh hollered as she spun Gale on his hindlegs in various circles.

"Will you all keep working?" Ms. Lee prompted.

"Yes!"

"Very well," Ms. Lee nodded in amusement before she walked out of the arena and towards the deck, where she turned on the radio. "Ashleigh? Will Gale be easy enough for Diana to ride?"

"So far," Ashleigh nodded. "But I want to try his faster paces to see if he'll try anything."

Ms. Lee nodded, the school's electives didn't start until next week, they signed up and if they needed too, they tried out for the electives they chose at the very beginning and some teachers were taking their times choosing and deciding. "Nice of you two to join us!" she called down to Christine and Nicole, who were just entering the arena on their horses, obviously surprised to see Ms. Lee in the upper deck. "Start warming up! I want everyone in top form for the local competition next week!" she reminded them. "The season is starting whether you like it or not!"

* * *

"Please?" Michelle pleaded. "It'll be our first party as a couple."

"Fuck, I'm tired," Brook groaned. "And I've got to memorize this pattern," she sighed, holding up a flimsy piece of paper that held faded gray scribbled drawings and dotted lines that resembled the Morse code.

"It won't be a party without you there though," she pouted, swiping a layer of lip gloss over her lips as she straightened her skirt in the mirror.

"It's fucking cold and I just got over a oncoming cold," Brook pointed out, making a face.

"Just for an hour? Please?" Michelle begged with her mocha brown eyes wide and pleading.

Brook rolled onto her stomach and sighed, "Only for an hour," she said reluctantly, cringing when Michelle squealed in delight.

"Thank _you_!" Michelle screeched, clapping her hands before she walked over to the closet and threw a pair of clothes at Brook, which she looked at in bewilderment, it was nearly the complete oppsite of what she would normally wear. Dark gray skinny jeans, gray rocker tee, studded black belt, and a pair of slip on, checkered Vans.

Brook always thought that skinny jeans made her look too lengthy and gangly, like a yearling colt. "I know you don't like them, but it's just an hour," Michelle voiced her thoughts with an eager and wistful smile.

"Whatever floats your boat," Brook shrugged before walking into the bathroom.

Michelle had played with her looks and found one that made her look completely different from her normal look, giving Brook a hard edge to herself. "Not too bad," she admired from the mirror, twirling around playfully.

"Let's go already," Briana hissed. "The lights have been out for the last half an hour."

"Nick!" Michelle smiled broadly, unable to contain her excitement as she pranced over to Nick's side and kissed his cheek in greeting, he smiled and pulled her back for another kiss.

Briana and Brook exchanged a look before pretending to fake gag. "Well look at you," Jeremy smiled, coming up from behind and twirling Brook in a small circle. "Some rocker chick, huh?"

"Michelle threw them at me and blocked the closet," Brook smiled as he kissed her cheek.

"Good to see you back in the game," he nodded before joining a couple of his buddies.

"Hey Chester, you fuck, c'mere," Brook called with a broad smile as he turned, his eyes slightly narrowed, knowing exactly who it'd be. He said something under his breath to his friends before nodding and walking towards Brook and Briana, who was currently checking out some soccer player's ass.

"How's my little whore?" he asked, sweeping the girl into a hug. "Sorry about your mom," he whispered, looking completely serious as he scanned Brook's face for any sad expression, but got nothing.

Brook simply nodded and shoved her hands into her back pockets, hiding her silver coated fingernails and accessories. "She left me her little mare," Brook said quietly, Brook and Chester had been guy and girl friend for who knows how long, they both knew everything about each other, no matter how disgusting or sick it was.

"Lady Bird?" Chester produced a lopsided smile at her strong words.

"She's in foal, too," Brook nodded as Briana muttered something before dancing off with some junior. "Due sometime in Feburary," she added with a half shrug.

"Busy girl, huh?" Chester blinked, wondering why in the hell would Patti Kaytee breed her pudgy once known rodeo and gaming mare right before dying and then give it to her only daughter and prodigy.

"You'll never guess what _she _decided to buy D and I," Brook continued with a partially annoyed look.

"Oh shit, do I even want to know?" Chester chuckled in amusement, his arms folded from the bitter winter air.

"No, but I'll tell you anyways," Brook smiled wryly. "Skylar, 14.6 hands, dappled gray, fucking muscle, pure bred," she stated shortly. "And she got Diana, Nightingale, chestnut, blaze, around the same height as Tar, also muscle, and pure bred. Both California origins."

Chester was shaking his head in disbelief. "_She_ bought them or thought about it?"

"_She_ bought them with _my_ dad's card as some fucked up present for us," Brook sighed, shaking her head in complete bewilderment. "I have no idea what's going through her mind everyday."

"Nothing," Chester supplied. "Hey, B, laters, kay? Maile just got here," he smiled broadly at a slim figure behind Brook's shoulder.

Maile had gotten here the week before from Maui, Maile...something. What was it?

"Yeah, laters Ches," Brook nodded, suddenly alone as she watched Chester stop in front of the Hawaiian bred girl and start a flirty conversation.

There we go- Maile Andrade, supposedly rodeo material, but it was still yet to be confirmed.

Brook felt oddly bored and awkward standing alone, she paced forward until she was standing in front of the newest 'it' couple of Woodland Hills Boarding School. "Hey Michie, I'm gunna go," she said hesitantly, pointing her thumbs the way she arrived.

"But you just got here," Michelle complained before sighing in defeat. "But you did come," she contradicted herself. "See you at the dorm?"

"Always," Brook nodded with a small smile before she gave her friend a one armed hug and began her trudging trek back to Chestnut Hill. She paused before taking another route where she would end up in a place where it all started.

* * *

After once again, expertly sneaking into the room, she shut the door softly behind her and made her way to the only closed door on the left side, opening in a crack, she saw Joe dozing on his unmade bed, cotton pajama bottoms matched with a white tank. One arm behind his head, the other resting lightly on his stomach. "Hey," Brook said softly, watching as one eye opened and flickered over to where Brook was stading.

"Hey yourself," he smiled as his other eye fluttered open and he sat up. "Break in again?"

"You know me," Brook offered with a half shrug. "Love breaking into guy's dorms."

"Are you going to sit down or just stand there looking cute?" Joe teased, his eyes registering what she was wearing. "Party?"

"Yeah, I stayed for a total of three and a half minutes though," she shrugged. "Michelle wanted me there for flaunting purposes only."

"Nick?" he guessed and ran a hand through his not so straight shaggy black hair, flattening his bangs before replacing his hand back on his bed as Brook walked over and was immediately pulled from sitting down near the end to sitting in Joe's lap in a matter of seconds. "My brother's a fucking stud-muffin," he whispered into Brook's ear, watching in amusement as her face disolved into laughter.

"What?" she giggled.

"I said --" he began.

"A stud-muffin? What the hell is that?" Brook swatted his muscled and tanned shoulder.

"Nick," Joe beamed with pride, puffing his chest out.

"Forget I asked," Brook laughed, shaking her head in amusement.

Joe let out an exaggerated sigh and grinned. "You know what?" he asked, wrapping an arm around Brook's waist and pulling her closer.

"Huh?" Brook prompted, leaning further against Joe's chest.

"We've been doing..._this_ for almost a month now," Joe said slowly in realizartion. "And we haven't even gone out."

"Like a date _out_ or what?" Brook asked in confusion.

"Yeah, like a date," Joe nodded. "I mean, we aren't exactly a couple, but friends with benefits don't even know of the shit we do. How about Wednesday?" he suggested.

On impulse, Brook agreed almost before Joe had even finished his question. "Sure," she nodded eagerly. "CeeJays at six?"

"It's a date," he nodded.


	11. What Hurts The Most

**_Whoa!! 137 reviews, 3928 hits, 34 people favorited, and 54 alerts! Holy Jonas!! Do you guys really like this story as much as I love writing it? Let's go for a record this chapter for reviews! The biggest amount of reviews was 12 or 14 out of 54 hits. C'mon! The next chapter is Winter Break and some major drama action! The more you review, the faster I post the next chapter, which was supposed to be put out on Wednesday, but like Sunday, I might just post it sooner if I get a good amount!! Hopefully that might excite you, LoLz. Ha! I only said it once! Booyah!_**

Chapter 10

What Hurts The Most

Wednesday morning rolled out quickly and Brook was awake before dawn, down at the barn with Ashleigh, Christine, Vanessa, Nicole, and Giovanna, they changed between helping wrapping their horses in thick travel blankets with the Woodland Hills logo on it and their shipping boots and loading their equipment into the trailer while Ms. Lee was coming out of the office with a box in hand.

"Are those our jackets?" Giovanna squealed, eyeing the box in excitement.

Ms. Lee beamed and nodded, "Keep working, I'll pass them to you once I get the names figured out."

"Can we load Taco last?" Christine asked. "You know how he likes backing up as fast as he can to get out," she pointed out.

"Are all of the horses ready?" Ms. Lee asked. "Nicole, go check," she urged as Mr. Coxx, the Western pleasure and trail teacher walked up, he was going to drive the trailer while Ms. Lee drove the truck with everyone packed inside.

"Good morning Mr. Coxx," the remaining students called cheerfully even though it wasn't even five o'clock in the morning.

He grumbled a response and walked into the office where he grabbed a cup of coffee for the road. "Here are the directions just in case," Ms. Lee smiled, handing Mr. Coxx a piece of paper with directions. He nodded and shuffled into the truck while everyone got their horses ready.

"Let's have Stretch in there first, followed by Polly, then Avatar, Roo, Uno, and then Taco!" Ms. Lee instructed as Giovanna walked onto the trailer with Stretch following her neatly.

* * *

Bursting into the arena at full blast while carrying the United States flag was always a rush for Brook, who cheerfully agreed every time while Ashleigh immediately accepted to carry Colorado's flag, while other riders carried sponsor flags and others just rode in. After the first lap, Brook and Ashleigh took their positions at the beginning and end of the line, stepping forward when they had to say the pledge of allegiance and the state song before they all walked out and handed their flags back to the supervisors and prepared themselves.

First class up was the barrel racing, then steer undecorating, then cutting, team roping, and towards the end of the day was the pole bending.

"Nervous, freshie?" Ashleigh called to Giovanna, who was fiddling with her tie-down.

"A bit?" she offered with a deathly pale expression and eyes to match, tensions were always high during the first competition of the season.

"Calm down," Ashleigh flashed her a warm smile. "You'll do fine, just like you always do," she assured her younger girl as she sidestepped her smaller framed palomino Quarter Horse to where she was standing by Stretch's head, mindlessly toying with the little leather straps connecting the reins to the shank bit she had on her gelding. "And besides, you're getting Stretch nervous too," she added as the gelding's tail whipped from side to side. "And he won't do his best when he's nervous."

"Hey Oprah, come here and give me crappy advice!" Christine teased, making Giovanna let out a coughing laugh.

Ashleigh gave her the finger and turned back to Giovanna with an earsplitting smile. "We're a team," she prompted.

"We win together," Giovanna nodded.

"We lose together," Ashleigh grinned.

"We're teammates," they chorused as Giovanna broke into a smile and threw the reins over Stretch's head, jumping on with enthusiasm that she had regained.

Zac Efron was quite an idol when he gave that advice during _High School Musical_, it stuck and the team used it all the time.

Brook glanced down when Avatar shifted and his tail whipped back and forth lazily. "You're used to this, aren't you," she crooned, running her fingers through his mane to pass the time.

"Ready to kick ass?" Nicole asked eagerly, jumping onto Roo for the first time since they unloaded the horses onto the arena grounds. The mare pranced eagerly as Nicole swung her rope around in practice.

"Totally, they'll all eat shit today," Brook nodded mindlessly as she glanced down from the slowly rising sun, most of it shielded from her black cowgirl hat with little blue accents.

Avatar's barn colors were black and red while his competition colors were usually a sky or turquoise blue and sometimes white.

Brook glanced up sharply when she saw Uno on her hindlegs. "Circle!" she called to Vanessa, who was struggling to keep the little gelding down. "Circle him!"

"I'm trying!" she wailed, crouching over his neck to bring him down.

Brook nudged Avatar forward, but soon found he too was reluctant and all at once she popped a rein on his haunches and managed to grab one of Vanessa's reins when Uno prepared to jump up again. "Easy," she said, using her legs to draw Avatar into Uno, forcing the high strung gelding in a tight circle. "You ok, V?" she asked, biting her lip in concentration as Nicole came onto her other side.

"Yeah, I think the excitement is getting to the both of us," she giggled nervously.

"Can I drop?" Brook asked, another term to let go.

"Yeah," Vanessa nodded wryly as Brook dropped the rein that was snug against her upper thigh and backed Avatar. "Thanks, B," she said as she began drawing Uno's attention to her instead of the surrounding excitement.

* * *

So far Brook had the lead for barrel racing with Ashleigh right behind her and for lunch, the team was celebrating with a hot dog or cheeseburger. "Oh, hey, Ms. Lee," Brook said in realization, startled that she had forgotten about something. "Is my phone still in the car?"

"No, I have every ones cell phones in my bag, would you like yours?" Ms. Lee corrected, offering her bag at Brook, who grabbed it gratefully and dug through, picking up three other iPhones before she finally found her own. She had five next text messages.

1. _Hey, morning cowgirl. How's it going so far? Bri-Bri_

2. _My bitch had better be kicking some serious ass right now. Chestah_

3. _Change of plans, wear something you can get wet and meet me by the indoor pool, same time. DJ Danga_

_What the hell is up with him and that nickname?_ Brook thought as she scanned through the other two unread messages.

4. _Why does algebra have to be so fucking boring? Shay_

5. _I am seriously about to fall asleep here, my teacher could kill a tree and you've got Nick and his big flop of curls sitting behind me -he says hi- and it's like...boring. -Michelle_

Brook rolled her eyes and sighed, taking another bit of her shrimp flavored Cup O' Noodle and placing her phone back into the bag and leaning against the tack box with her legs folded as she zoned out on the team's current conversation in their lawn chairs by the stalls that were occupied by their horses.

"Davis!" Nicole's sharp voice made the junior turn in surprise, bewildered. "Are you even listening?"

"Not really," she confessed with guilty gray eyes. "Sorry, you were saying?"

Nicole laughed cheerfully and shook her head. "Never mind, it's cool. So what's on _your _mind since you seem to be in Munchkinland or something."

"Just something I have planned when we get back," Brook gave a half shrug as she tried to keep her voice nonchalant.

"Bull," Giovanna grinned giddily. "It's a date, isn't it?" she squealed as Brook took a small sip of the broth.

"Might be," she shrugged again, a smile flickering on her lips.

"You're such a bitch, B," Ashleigh laughed, shaking her head at her smitten younger cousin.

_State the obvious, _

_I didn't get my perfect fantasy._

_I realize that you love yourself more then you could ever love me,_

_So go and tell you friends I'm obsessive and --_

"Whoops, that's me," Brook grinned at the weird ringtone she had for all three of the Jonas boys. "Lo?"

"Is that how you greet everyone? 'Lo'?" Joe mimicked.

"Yup, pretty much," Brook nodded, setting her Styrofoam cup like thing down and repositioning the phone.

"Did you get my text?" Joe asked curiously, the low murmurs of lunch in the cafeteria were in the background.

"Yeah, I'll be there," Brook agreed. "I might be a little late though," she said hesitantly into the mouthpiece, flipping her friends off as the mimicked her from their spots near the ground.

"Why? Something more important?" Brook could just picture the smirk on his face as he asked that.

"Uh, well I am kinda two hours away if you hadn't noticed," Brook pointed out dryly.

"Yeah right, wait, seriously?" Joe blurted.

"Oh boy," she groaned. "Are you slow or something? We had third period together?"

"I thought you were in your dorm," he admitted lamely.

"I'm two hours away having lunch," she rolled her eyes as he chuckled hesitantly. "About to start some cutting," she paused. "At a rodeo not with a blade," she added.

"I knew that," Joe stated bravely.

"You bull lie and you know it," Brook sighed, wondering how she agreed to go on a date with this guy.

"At least it was a cute lie," That was why.

Brook snorted and could picture Joe beaming. "Hey, call me later? I've got to warm Tar up."

"Yeah, kay," he agreed before they both said goodbye and hung up.

* * *

The whole day was a success, the six girls won and placed in every class except for one, the highest they got was third and in that particular class it belonged to Christine. But they got home a bit later than expected and it took them at least an hour to put everything away, but once she had finished everything, Brook took off and quickly ran to her dorm, which was empty, and changed into her Hawaiian print bikini and threw on a long sleeve shirt, gray sweatpants, and her Uggs before she took off again, this time pacing herself as she made her way to the indoor pool.

It was dim and no one was there, Brook set down her phone on the bleachers in confusion and kicked off her Uggs before she walked towards the jacuzzi, which was fairly warm. It had been a quiet minute when Brook suddenly felt herself upside down. "Joe Jonas, put me down," she squealed, squirming viciously in his grasp.

"Hold you breath," he commanded simply.

"What?" Brook asked in bewilderment before Joe took one step forward and jumped into the water, releasing Brook once they had plunged under. "Oh _my _god," she spluttered as she reached the surface to find Joe already up there, lounging and smiling in amusement.

"I though people swam in bathing suits," he blinked innocently. "Not in a pair of sweatpants and a shirt."

They were beginning to drag Brook down anyways with all the extra weight, she swam to the side of the pool and kicked off her sweatpants bringing them to the surface before she placed them on the concrete, followed by her long sleeve shirt.

"Hawaii," Joe sighed in mock lust, eyeing Brook with a half smirk. "I don't think I've ever been there."

"Aren't we cute?" Brook rolled her eyes before swimming a few feet away and then lying stomach up, kicking lightly as Joe simply doggy-paddled next to her. "So how's the band coming along?"

"Coming," Joe answered bluntly, shaking his head. "We've got lyrics, we've got melodies...we just need backup," he sighed, his wet bangs slipping into his face once more. "A basset, drummer, and another guitarist...at least. Nick can play drums, it's just --"

"Not at the same time as electric guitar?" Brook nodded in agreement. "Then how'd you manage to mix that CD earlier?" she asked, flipping over to face Joe in the 8 feet waters.

"The band class that Kevin assists," Joe shrugged. "But they can't keep playing for us forever, I mean, we need some full time people."

"You'll get it," she smiled, grabbing hold on Joe's right arm as she floated by, her lengthy legs wrapping around his torso from behind, and pressing her cheek to his for a moment. "And no matter what, I'll always be your biggest fan," she whispered softly into his ear, it was then, Joe knew he was falling for her. _Hard._

* * *

Brook stepped out of the shower and blushed at the sight unfolding before her, she waited for a moment as the steam exited the small bathroom before she finally gave a dry cough. "Choking Michelle?" she lifted an eyebrow at the couple as she swung her hair around in a messy bun.

"Um..." Michelle blushed while Nick grabbed the back of his neck, his ears turning a bright pink coloring.

"I'll be out in a sec, think you can grab your tongues that long?" Brook questioned as she quickly turned off her laptop and checked her iPhone for any missed calls or new text messages.

"Brook," Michelle frowned.

"No, it's ok, it's almost time for lock-down," Nick said, standing up with one last kiss. "I'll call you tonight, ok?"

Michelle giggled. "Hm, kay," she smiled, watching as Nick slipped passed Brookand out with one last wave. "_Thanks!_" Michelle snorted sarcastically.

"Welcome," Brook nodded with a flickering smile. "Besides, wasn't it time to come up for air?" she smirked as she grabbed a book from the pile resting at the bottom of the desk and plopped on her bed as Michelle shoved a CD into the CD player and grabbed the remote before she dramatically flopped onto her bed with a wistful sigh as Carrie Underwood filled the room.

"You're actually going to listen to this?" Brook asked in exasperation as Michelle began to hum along.

Michelle grinned before she belted out the lyrics. "Ehmygod," Brook groaned as Briana stepped through the door.

"Carrie Underwood?" Briana prompted, making a face. "Who started it?"

"Michelle!" Brook accused.

"No way! Nick started it!" Michelle exclaimed before slapping a hand over her mouth with a rising blush while Briana just shook her head with a faint smirk.

* * *

Thursday Morning. Always a joy since everyone who had Mrs. Walters, 4th period, had a 'surprise' pop quiz.

Brook flew threw it and lazily tapped her pen against the end of the table while Mrs. Walters strode over and picked it up, taking it back to her desk with a weary look at the grade A junior before she flipped through the pop quiz, glancing up every time a whisper was made, only to nod in approval.

The girl's gray gaze slid over to the far corner, up front on the right and she watched him with ever soft eyes as her guy-friend, per say, flipped a page on the quiz, biting his lip in concentration. His hazel eyes scanned the page before slipping far left, meeting Brook's unwavering gray eyes before he offered a small, crooked smile and a wink before turning back to his work, hunching over his desk once more, shifting once more before continuing.

Brook flushed before returning her gaze to the desk, crossing her legs with anticipation as she glanced at the clock, only fifteen minutes left until class ended. They had finally lessened the play practices to three days a week because it was only the beginning of October, they had time to spare. Out of the corner of her eyes, Brook would see Joe glance at her, taking a double take, before turning back to his work, and then starting it over a few minutes later. Nearly finishing his pop quiz five minutes before class ended even though he had been on the last page.

He rested his paper at the edge of his desk before proceeding to turn sideways and catch Brook's unwavering gray eyes, that were brightly outlined by her eyeliner, very subtle, but there. He smiled and watched as that simple gesture sent Brook glancing sideways, trying hard to avoid a rising blush. Joe had accomplished something since the first day of junior year. Becoming close friends with Brooklynn Davis was an accomplishment. Flirting with her was stirring jealousy. Kissing her was threatening to be hated. Holding her was the simple thing Joe enjoyed the most about the long legged, petite framed junior with dark chocolate brown hair and rare smoky gray eyes. Brook was surely something else.

No matter what she wore or where she was, Brook always seemed to look flawless to Joe. In a pair of sweatpants on the auditorium floor for play practice. Skinny jeans while riding bareback on her horse. A dress at a dance. Even in something three times her size while she was crying in the rain, mascara smudged and all. Brook was still gorgeous. Still completely and utterly _gorgeous. _Joe was constantly thinking about her, right before he went to sleep, sometimes in the middle of the night when he hears a creak in the wood flooring, hoping it's Brook trying to break in, and the first thing he thinks about when he gets up in the morning. She was that special.

Even without a song or a corny line, there was something about Joe that made Brook feeling better. He always had something to say that would make her smile or laugh, it felt good no matter what he said or did. Joe Jonas was pretty damn amazing.

After fourth period was fifth period, which ment some rundown old catty-shack for Physics class withsome guy in his mid-twenties that had no idea of how to run a class, nor with ten kids or less in each. It was the result of some jackass quitting last minute and the board of directors hiring someone they could within the time limit of classes that would resume in less than twenty four hours.

Brook shot out of her seat, her bag whacked her ass as she was the first one out of the room, leaning casually until Joe walked out, waiting for him. His tall frame illuminated his bemused and searching expression as she grasped his upper arm softly. "Hey," he smiled. "Ready for Physics?"

"Hi," Brook somehow managed a breathless expression as she let her hand drop. "Not really," she admitted with a broad smile that stretched well across her face, eyes twinkling and the small dimple on her left cheek was brought up on her high cheekbones, making Joe smile softly at her appearance. As he said, truly gorgeous and simply amazing.

* * *

After learning of the other song _Hello Beautiful_ during Physics class while brainstorming, Brook had been humming the tune until late in the week. "You look fine, B," Joe sighed as Brook stepped out of his bathroom wearing a white strapless that could and can pass for a dress paired with her famous leather boots. "Are you ready?"

"For what?" Brook returned Joe's sigh with a hopeful expression, she had been called over by the brothers and they just told her that they were all going out together, nothing more, nothing less. "Why won't you tell me anything?"

"Trust me," Joe produced a soft, heartfelt smile as he cupped her face with his palms, he brushed her left cheek, grazing the dimple with his right thumb before nodding reassuringly as he led the girl out.

Almost an hour later, they were at a pizza parlor at the edge out town, it was nearly empty as they sat down at a booth. It had been less than five minutes when the door jingled and an older couple in their mid-forties walked inside with a bouncing seven year old before them. Brook's eyes narrowed, that little boy was the spitting image of Joe.

Brook turned to face Joe in confusion, but he simply smiled and stood up with the rest of his brothers, the little seven year old spotted them quickly and darted over, tossing himself at Joe with a high pitched squeal of delight. "JOEY!"

Good thing the parlor was basically empty for a nearby waitress smiled in amusement before returning to the cash register. "Hey tank," Joe grinned as the boy jumped off, quivering in excitement as he lunged for Nick and then seconds later, Kevin. Joe turned the older couple and grinned, somehow looking at least sixteen. He threw his arms around the curly haired woman that Brook realized as Mrs. Jonas, the features on all of the boys were identical. "Hi mom," he grinned.

"Hello Joseph," Mrs. Jonas smiled warmly, laughing at the sight of her teenage sons.

Brook hung back so she wouldn't ruin the family moment.

After greeting her sons, did she finally notice Brook. Her face simply glowed with warmth as her husband caught on. "Don't tell me you were going to leave me to guess who this beautiful young lady is?" she questioned, making Brook blush with ease. "Ah, Joseph, I hope you've been treating this one like we taught you."

"How'd you know shes with Joe?" Nick laughed aloud.

Mrs. Jonas made a clicking noise with her tongue as her eyes carefully scanned the lengthy girl. "Mom, this is Brook," Joe piped up with an amused smile, taking a step backwards, and resting his hand on her hip. "Brook, this is my mommy."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Jonas," Brook smiled politely, ignoring the laughter and disapproving groan coming from Joe's brothers and father. "And you as well, Mr. Jonas," she added, taking his offered hand and shaking it.

"Oh, she's beautiful, Joseph," Mrs. Jonas smiled, grasping her hand slightly. "Is your mother Patricia Kaytee?" she questioned in sudden realization.

Brook froze and Joe tensed up, his grip tightened. "Was," Brook corrected with the gentlest ease she could. "Yes, she was."

Mrs. Jonas's face fell. "Oh, dear, I'm sorry," she offered a sympathetic smile. "You're the spitting image of her," she smiled wistfully. "I knew your mom from college," Mrs. Jonas added. "She was a wonderful lady."

"She was," Brook responded with a soft spoken expression, the now saddened moment was interrupted by Frankie, the cute little bonus Jonas, who was tugging at Brook's right hand.

Brook glanced down curiously and Frankie motioned for her to get lower until she was crouching. "You're pretty!" he whispered loudly.

Brook smiled before exchanging a quick glance with Joe before she answered. "And I think you're cuter than your brothers," she smiled, ruffling his head.

Frankie positively beamed at that comment, he glanced up at his father before repeating Brook's comment. "Didja hear that dad?" Frankie squealed. "Brook think's I'm cuter than my brothers! Including Joe!"

"I heard, Frankie," Mr. Jonas chucled in amusement.

"Would you like to order?"


	12. Home

Chapter 11

Home

Brook's mind was somewhere else after stepping off of the plane back in Los Angeles, California. Her screen saver on her phone brightened at her touch, revealing a picture with the two, cheek to cheek, grinning broadly. It was simply heart wrenching.

"Hey B," Diana nudged the girl, nodding her head towards a chauffeur looking guy that Brook and Diana recognized as Dillon, their family's chauffeur, mainly used by Ted Davis, with a sign- _Davis Sisters._They grabbed the duffel bag they had shared and walked over, stopping in front of the guy. "Hi."

"Davis?" he inquired, letting the sign fall to his side, his voice mock with British origins as he grinned in amusement. "Your father sends his regards, he was in the middle of a meeting and could not make it."

They nodded before Dillon led them through the large crowd of people and towards the parking lot, where he opened the door and let them inside. "Straight home or would you two like to stop somehwere?"

"Home," Brook responded quietly, her eyes grazing over the blackened screen of her iPhone that was grasped in the palm of her hand.

"Your father requests you presence at the dinner tonight with Veronica's family," Dillon reported as he started the limo and began the rounds to get out of the traffic filled Los Angeles International Airport, LAX.

"Ok," Brook nodded and Diana pulled out her lime green Sidekick and immediately began texting someone. "Sounds like it'll be hell," she mumbled, knowing her father would want her there.

"Miss Davis, I heard you've done well on the circuit," Dillon oberserved. "Well done."

"Thank you Dillon," Brook offered a half smile and nodded gratefully. "Avatar was in his prime after traveling so far," she reported mindlessly. "So I'm glad he adjusted so well so fast, so we could keep our daily workouts."

"That's quite the good news, Miss Davis," Dillon smiled. "I also heard you managed the part of 'Gabriella Montez' in _High School Musical_ at the same time."

"Yes," Brook nodded, her focusing on the ever changing traffic lights. "Although I had no intention in participating in the first place, it was my mother's idea," she paused, the realization sinking in her stomach once more. "But it wasn't too horrifying," she added with a meek laugh.

"That's good," Dillon nodded, knowing that Brook wouldn't be the least happy if he mentioned or looked symathetic towards her. "My niece watched that movie, she liked that one song with Gabriella, you know, she's leaving because that blonde girl was being a pain."

Brook smiled. "_Gotta Go My Own Way,_" she nodded, it, too, was her favorite song. "Will Taylor be visiting soon? Maybe we can sing it together for the holidays."

"She's been wanting to come out for a while," Dillon admitted. "But with the gas prices going up, it's been nearly impossible to catch a flight."

"Dillon!" Diana exclaimed, overhearing their conversation through her text messaging. "You know my father could bring her out with his jet! All you have to do is ask!"

"It would be too much to ask the employer to borrow their jet," Dillion responded. "I might get fired."

Brook shook her head before picking up her iPhone and dialing her father's number. "Yes, sweetheart?" he answered.

"You know what I was thinking, daddy?" Brook asked sweetly, she watched in amusement as Dillon groaned aloud and smacked his forehead at the next red light. "That maybe we could surprise Taylor by flying her out to visit for the holidays, Di and I could fly out on your jet and go pick her up," she crooned.

"It has been a while since you've seen Taylor," Ted Davis mused aloud into the mouthpiece. "Are you sure you'd like to bring Dillon's niece out?"

"Of course, daddy!" Brook exclaimed, then flashed Diana a thumbs up. "It'd be fun and besides, she might end up getting along with Veronica's daughter," Brook persisted, cringing at the thought, _bull shit, _she thought as Ted hummed for a moment.

"Alright," Ted agreed. "The earliest we can fly out to Michigan is mid next week, is that ok?"

"That's fine," Brook nodded before smiling. "Thank you daddy! Love you."

"Love you too, sweetie," he said before hanging up.

"Is mid next week good?" Brook flashed Dillon her famous sly smile.

* * *

Brook walked down the spiraling staircase in her strapless dusky gray dress that ended mid-thigh with that cute little bow for the innocent look as she held her two inch silver heels by their straps, her delicate wrists decorated with silver-gray bangles.

"You look wonderful, Brook," Ted smiled, welcoming his daughter down the stairs as though she were going to the prom.

"Thank you, daddy," Brook smiled softly, the chestnut red eyeliner setting her eyes off with an amazing, yet exotic look.

"I'm having a formal dinner at the end of the week for potential clients for Hollywood Records and I'd like you and Diana to join us," Ted said with a worn smile. "I'm trying to start off the year with a bang to grab the teens attentions, I also think I'm going to consider taking Walt Disney's offer on spotlighting some of the younger clients and while some perform, over the next week, I'll be holding meetings as well."

"That's wonderful, daddy," Brook twisted her fingers anxiously as she glanced at her father with udermost pride.

"Will _you_ consider trying for a contract?" her father questioned, resting a hand on Brook's shoulder and squeezing it reassuringly. "I know you're good Brook, you're better. Your mother had a wonderful voice, she'd be proud of you if you tried for a contract."

_And risk people getting fired if they don't like me because my father owns Hollywood Records, soon to be the biggest 'it' thing in southern California,_ Brook thought before forcing a tight smile on her face. "I'll think about it," she managed.

"Good girl," Ted Davis nodded approvingly, glancing up as Diana stepped onto the tile of the first story of the house. "Maybe Di would like a try as well."

"Maybe," Brook shrugged as she fixed the strap on her heels before standing up and testing them out. "Is Veronica ready yet?"

"Not yet," Ted shook his head, glancing at his gold plated Rolex. "Why don't the two of you wait in the limo?" he suggested with a half hearted sigh.

* * *

"You're a lucky girl to have Veronica as your new stepmom," an older lady gushed with a well admired smile, diamonds studding her ears with gold rings.

Brook's lip twitched and she forced a blank smile on her already bored face. "Aren't I?" she choked out, hoping Diana wasn't going through the same thing.

"You'll enjoy spending _so_much time with her," she went on, wel unaware of Brook's now pale face. "She's just a joy to 'hang' with."

_Hang?_ Brook thought, her eyes widening slightly. "You're so skinny dear, are you anorexic?" she asked as her worn and wrinkled hands fumbled with Brook's face.

Brook nearly spit her drink in the older woman's face and she rapidly shook her head as the woman swaggered away to Veronica's side, whispering loudly. "You need to watch that one, Veronica! She might be anorexic!" she whispered urgently, sneaking a glance in Brook's direction.

Veronica's eyes gleamed in triumph, her filthy hands would be curling in delight if it weren't for her guests. "I will, mother," she said, her lip curling. "I will," she promised.

_SOS! SOS!_ Brook thought as she strode over to Diana. _C'mon Joe!_ she thought, knowing it was next to impossible for him to hear her. "Hey D," she murmured, leaning against her adoptive sister's side.

"Hey," Diana responded, her voice said it all, she was bored as hell. Eyes a dull blue and hair was in a simple twist at the nape of her neck. "Bulimic or anorexic?"

"Anorexic," Brook snorted under her breath. "It's her _mother_ too."

"I saw that coming," Diana muttered with a playful smirk, taking a sip of the apple cider in the champagne cup in her hands.

"Barbie! Dan!"

"Oh god," they groaned in unison, turning to face Tiffany, the blonde wannabe girl that was Veronica's daughter from her second marriage, due to make their lives hell at home and at school. "It's Brook and Diana," she snorted.

"Same diff," Tiffany shrugged, her perfectly manicured nails gleamed as she grazed over them with her poo colored eyes, brown with a twinge of green in them.

She's fifteen and she claimed that she's already done more than half a dozen guys, all older than her.

* * *

Brook was humming _Gotta Go My Own Way _at her fathers soiree when someone tapped her shoulder, she turned to find an older teenage girl with wavy black hair and deep, warming brown eyes. "Hi, I'm Vanessa."

Brook smiled. "Hi, Brooklynn Davis," she glanced the older girl up and down once, she was naturally pretty with or without the makeup. "You have an amazing voice," she admitted. "A sure shoo-in for a contract."

Vanessa smiled. "Thank you," she giggled. "But I'm not so sure about the contract thing," she added. "My agent told me this would be a good place to get my singing career going, there is a lot of high hope for this place."

"Oh, trust me," Brook assured her. "The guy who owns the place, I know him. I've got connections."

Vanessa brightened and blushed. "Good words help," she giggled.

"I know," Brook smiled as the Plain White T's took the small stage, starting an acoustic version of _Hey There Delilah_. "So when is _HSM3_ going to start filming?" she prodded eagerly.

Vanessa's eyes widened and she grinned. "I can't say much except for they just started writing the script."

"You should come over sometime, my dad has a recording studio in the guest house," Brook suggested, hopefully hinting nothing to the _High School Musical _star. "We can mess around whenever we want," she added persuasively.

"Cool!" Vanessa squealed, then grabbed her phone. "Here, punch in your number."

"Same," Brook nodded, grabbing her iPhone and behind her, heard the unforgettable high pitched squeal. "Incoming," she muttered.

Vanessa's head rose up sharply and her eyes were wide with the sudden no_i_se. "Hi Baby V! I'm your _biggest_ fan!" Tiffany screeched, tossing a distasteful look in Brook's direction. "We should hang out and get our nails done and go _shopping_!!"

Vanessa put on a polite smile and shot Brook an uncomfortable look. "I love hearing from the fans, what's your name, sweetheart?"

"My names Tiffany! But you can call me Tiffy!" she shrieked giddily.

"It was nice meeting you Tiffany, but my manager just called me and I'd better get going so I can set up an appointment," Vanessa said politely. "It was nice meeting you both," she said before slipping Brook her phone back in exchange for her own before walking away quickly.

"Bubble!" A softer, yet still shrill voice squeaked before lunging at Brook.

"Lei," Brook smiled, hoisting the little girl onto her back. "How is school?"

Leilani made a face of pure disgust and Brook laughed. "Make any new friends, you little munchkin?"

Leilani nodded vigorously. "I made one friend besides my bestest friend in whole world and then I invited another friend over tomorrow to play!"

"That's awesome, Lei," Brook smiled, setting her younger sister down. "Behave," she reminded her as the girl darted away again.

* * *

"Miss Davis? There is someone at the front gate, shall I buzz them in?" Their housemaid, Rosa inquired.

Brook had been up for a couple of hours now after Leilani had bombarded her bedroom, squealing in delight that her friend was coming over today. "Yes please, thank you Rosa," she nodded, tossing her latest teen magazine aside.

She hadn't heard or been in contact with Joe Jonas in almost a week, it was simply pathetic how she moped around waiting for someone to call her. The whole house was empty besides Leilani and Brook, Ted and Veronica were out on Rodeo Drive while Diana was at a friends house and Tiffany was still living with her high priced aunt in Beverly Hills.

The broken material of Brook's brown mini skirt brushed against her toned thigh, sending her shivering, it had been a while since someone had tried to persuade her by doing that. Her brown cami said otherwise, tight and form fitting against her stomach, flaunting what she had.

The doorbell rang and Leilani shot down the stairs, sliding on the tile in her pink socks. Ah, the good old days.

The little girl with her mothers dark brown hair and her fathers blue eyes, opened the door and grinned. "Hi Frankie!"

"Hi Lani," the boy responded as Leilani threw open the door and Brook stepped forward.

"What time should I -- Brook?"

Brook glanced up sharply and her eyes narrowed in a mixture of recognition and annoyance. "You can come back at four, I'll have Rosa buzz you in," she stated shortly, her eyes gleaming with defiance.

"Wait, no, Brook, please," the hazel eyed teen begged, stopping the closing door with an outstretched hand. "I'm sorry I haven't called you," he said softly, watching as all of his persistance washed down the drain in less than a minute. "I am really, truly sorry."

"Why even bother then, Jonas?" Brook shook her head, unsure of what to think.

"Go upstairs, check your bag, and I'll call you tonight," Joe urged after a quick glance at her hand. "Trust me."

Those two words gave Brook all the hope in the world as she watched Joe retreat back to a black Jeep and start the car, making his way back down to the front gates while Brook shut the door with a soft click, waiting a moment before walking upstairs and grabbing her untouched brown and blue Roxy backpack, searching through it until she had found a velvet jewlry box and a note...in lime green Sharpie.

_Brook,_

_You're the first one I'm admitting this too, I don't gave the guts to give or say this to you in person, but as long as you read this, we should be fine. If you hadn't guessed by now, then I'll tell you, Brooklynn Jade Davis, are probably the most...wonderful girl I've met and that doesn't even begin to discribe you. You're fun, flirty, and just an all around great person to hang out with, which is why at the beginning of the year, I want you to please be mine. You're the first person I think about when I get up and the last person I think of when I go to sleep. I'll being thinking of you,_

_Joe_

Brook hesitantly flipped open the velvet box and immediately shrieked, causing it to flip out of her hand and onto the carpet nine inches away. She gasped, crawling forward on her knees and recapturing the box to stare at a silver ring with a few designs meeting up to a silver heart with an amethyst looking gemstone set in the middle of it. "Oh...my...god," she drawled out, practically gasping for air as she picked it up, eyeing it. "Not to ruin my own moment though," she mused aloud. "But please be mine? What the hell?"

The start of a girlie country song made Brook dip forward, reaching for her phone as it sang. _Don't pick up the phone,_came the only warning from Joe as moments later her phone rang again and Brook sat there patiently, letting it ring out until she had one missed call and one new voice mail. She tapped at the screen and waited until the message began to play from her speakerphone. It was like he was singing it for someone or something else because all he said was, "This one's called _Please Be Mine,_"

_Ahah, so that's what Joe was reffering to_, Brook thought triumphantly before listening to the acoustic guitars in the background, most likely provided by Kevin and the soothing voice of Joe.

Brook found herself swaying along, startled at how high Joe's voice could go without straining. Nick wasn't too bad himself and when Brook heard Kevin, she found that he wasn't too bad either. A quick thought slipped into her head and she thought about the pro's and con's of getting them a recording contract. They really wanted it, but...one, if, they get going, then Brook might not see them as often as usual. But they had school to worry about! They couldn't leave...could they?

* * *

"Brooklynn," Ted Davis called up the staircase almost an hour and a half later. "Come down for a minute, please!"

Brook admired the promise ring from it's case before closing it and placing it carefully into her desk drawer before she shuffled downstairs. "Yes, daddy?"

"I've signed someone," Ted beamed with pride. "Well, actually two people, but one is a group."

"Who?" Brook asked with a broad smile, urging her father onwards.

"The Plain White T's and the girl you were talking to earlier," Ted set his briefcase down by the doorway and watched as Rosa staggered inside with a buttload of bags from her shopping spree on Rodeo Dr. "Vanessa Hudgens."

"That's great, daddy," Brook nodded, forcing enthusiasm in her words as she threw her arms around him with a dazzling smile, her brown cami sliding up and miniskirt threatening to sag even lower on the petite girl's hips.

"There's more," Ted added. "Tonight we have a dinner planned here at the house, I've invited some more possible clients and some of your mom's old friends."

Brook stared at him with surprise flickering in her gray eyes. "How many people?" she gasped.

"Only ten people, sweetheart," Ted assured her like it was nothing. "Tiffany's coming to join us as well."

Brook nearly groaned aloud as Veronica stepped inside, the last of her bags brought into the house. "Hey, baby," she purred.

Brook watched as the blonde Barbie wannabe hooked her arm through his and kissed his cheek, she seriously wanted to gag it was so disgusting. "Hey Veronica," Ted greeted her warmly, much to Brook's dislike. "I was just telling Brook about the dinner we were planning on having tonight."

"Oh," Veronica's eyelashes fluttered. "Maybe Brook should stay behind, you know? Some clients might think that children distract the business."

Ted blinked, biting his lip in thought. "I'll consider that, but I have to do something back at the studio, so I'll be back in half an hour," he said before turning back the way he came and closing the door behind him.

"I have a migraine," Brook muttered, she turned on one heel only to be forcefully pulled back by Veronica.

"Don't get in the way of me and your father," she hissed, glancing at Brook in disgust. "As long as I'm here, you'll treat Tiffany like your boss."

"That is the worst load of shit I've ever heard," Brook frowned, her eyes slowly turning a deeper color. "Your stupid kid won't be treated like a princess because her mommy wants her to be."

Veronica smiled as Rosa passed before she dragged Brook into the kitchen, her fake nails digging into Brook's upper arm with aggrivation. "Here, sweetheart," she spat, grabbing a container from the medicine cabinet, not bothering to read the label as she popped a half a dozen pills and grabbed Brook by her throat, drawing the struggling girl in with a simple yank as she shoved all six pills down her throat, watching in satisfaction as Brook almost choked.

"You worthless --" Brook started, but felt her legs give out as her vision slowly began to dim.

"Ah-ah-ah little one," Veronica shook her head with a sick thought of disipline. "You come to respect me soon enough, dear," she paused before raising her voice. "Rosa!" she shrilled.

The half Mexican housemaid appeared at once, looking out of breath, "Yes, Mrs. Davis?"

"Brook isn't feeling too well, could you escort her to her room," Veronica smiled sweetly. "She just, dropped," her hands fluttered as she faked concern for her step-daughter.

"Yes," Rosa nodded quickly as she grabbed Brook by her waist and pulling her up. "_Seniorita_ Davis, what really happened?" she asked once they had begun to climb the stairs.

Brook's eyes had glazed over and she felt completely numb, like everything weighed almost a hundred pounds heavier. She couldn't speak or possibly think.

"It was that witch, wasn't it?" Rosa whispered. "I'll watch her for you, don't worry _seniorita_, if something looks weird, I'll call Master Davis and tell him," she said as she dropped Brook into the bed and brought the covers over her as she shivered.

* * *

Brook had finally fallen into a dreamless, sweat filled sleep when Tiffany strutted into the room. "It's not like you have anything worth wearing anyways," she muttered as she stepped into her walk in closet.

She walked out in satisfaction with a satin strapless dress that was a violet color that ended at mid-thigh. "Maybe you do have something worth wearing," she grinned devilishly. "Now where are your sorry-ass accessories?" she asked aloud as she began digging through her doors, stopping minutes later when she spotted a velvet covered jewlry box, worthy of Tiffany's eyes and finger.


	13. So Bored Of These Games

Chapter 12

So Bored of These Games

"This is my step-daughter Tiffany," Ted smiled at the incoming guests, resting a hand on her shoulder as she twisted her head sideways to look at her new father with a look of fake adorance.

"Isn't she a sweetheart," Patricia Kaytee's college friend, Denise Jonas smiled, holding out a hand for her to shake.

Tiffany lifted a delicate hand and Joe felt like throwing up, his face twitched when he quickly recognized the ring he had given Brook, not Tiffany. But was she so mad at him that she'd simply give it away like that?

"Could I borrow the bathroom?" Joe choked out, well aware that Tiffany's hand had brushed his abdomen.

"Rosa is still cleaning the bottom bathroom, so upstairs, first door on the right," Ted smiled generously, motioning upstairs.

Joe nodded and walked passed his family before trotting upstairs. "First door to the..." _Right or left_? Joe thought, his mind whirling with confusion as he kicked open the door on the left, stopping in his tracks when the room he had stepped into was dim while a girl slept on the left side of the bed. "Brook?" he sighed, closing the door behind him as he strode forward, surprised and afraid at her appearance, she was twitching and sweating heavily as though overcome with a nightmare.

Joe sat down on the edge of her bed and lightly shook her shoulder. "Brook," he said, his voice commanding as he tried to rouse the girl.

He placed a palm on her forehead and nearly threw up again, she was burning up, yet her face implied that she too, wanted to throw up, she was deathly pale, and it didn't look like she was going to be waking up soon. Joe grabbed his phone and texted his two brothers before waiting a minute for a reply and picking Brook up and slunk down the stairs, stopping with a weary look when he saw a Mexican housemaid staring at him.

Their staring at lasted a moment until Kevin and Nick fainlly slipped away, stopping in their tracks as well. "Go, _senior_, I cover for you," she urged with a wistful smile at Brook's limp form. "Take good care of _senorita_ Davis," she said, flapping her hands wildly towards the door.

"I had to _spill _gravy on my shirt for mom to let me go back with the car," Kevin muttered, glancing down at his now brown and white shirt.

"Ketchup," Nick shrugged when Joe glanced at his blue and red shirt. "So what's wrong with her?"

"Just look at her," Joe shook his head with a pained expression.

"It looks like someone gave her crack or something," Kevin said in bewilderment as he produced the car keys. "Where is she going to stay anyways?"

"If anything she'll take my bed," Joe said quietly, exchanging a look with Kevin. "And I'll take the guest room or something, but we need to be close by."

"I hope you're aware that we just stole Ted Davis's daughter," Nick piped up with an eager smile. "Because he owns and is the current president of Hollywood Records."

* * *

"Why do you think that maid let us go?" Kevin asked, fumbling with his acoustic guitar as they sat in a somewhat circle in Joe's room, his eyes were wide as he glanced back watching Brook's occasional spasms.

"Shouldn't we be trying to figure something out, like if we should take her to the hospital or something?" Nick questioned from his spot at his laptop, furiously typing in medical conditions in a search engine. He froze when one simple word appeared. "Overdose?" he stated it, his voice rising with panic. "Overdose!"

Joe's head swiveled sharply to meet Nick's bewildered expression. "Overdose? Are you fucking serious?"

"Joseph," Kevin warned, although it seemed like the time to explode, their parents wouldn't approve of his swearing, especially at home.

Nick's voice had softened considerably. "They might have to pump her stomach," his face twitched at the thought.

"She hasn't overdosed!" Joe snapped, glaring viciously at Nick, who was looking around frantically, he got up and walked into the bathroom, splashing his face with cold water as he heaved for air.

"This is probably the time to say, I'm scared, Joe," Nick sighed, rubbing his face with a small towel. "God, I'm scared," his head snapped up when he heard Brook cough as though hacking something up.

Kevin stood up quickly and they all crowded around Brook's coughing form, moments later her eyes snapped open and she dove forward, hurling straight into the waste basket that Kevin had brought over. Little flecks of white were visible and Nick cringed as he held her dark brown locks, now, every time you inhaled, it smelt like vomit.

Joe rubbed her back soothingly, not flinching once when she hurled again. She fell onto her back and Nick released her hair, all three brothers watching as she breathed heavily, her chest falling up and down rapidly as she began to blink, her eyelids fluttering wildly as she comprehended where she was.

"Hey Brook," Kevin smiled, setting the vomit filled basket onto the ground. "You ok?" no matter how fucked up that sounded, it was pretty much the only thing he could have said.

Brook blinked and she slowly turned her head, motioning towards Nick's laptop. With a confused look Nick grabbed it and set it carefully by Brook, watching as she groggily stabbed at the keys. _I guess, but where am I?_

"Ah," Nick nodded. "You're at Casa De Jonas," he smiled with pride as he motioned around Joe's room, watching as Brook slowly nodded. "Does it hurt to talk? You want water or something?"

_Burns like hell, Nick J._ Brook typed in, a smile flickered on her face before she continued. _Maybe some water?_

"Be back in a sec," Nick nodded before jumping off of the bed and retreating downstairs.

"So what happened?" Kevin tossed out casually, running his fingers through his hair in complete shock at what had just happened.

_Long story._

"We have tons of time, B," Joe spoke up quietly, his eyes were urgent as he pressed on to hear about Brook's "overdose".

_Well...after my dad had come home to say that he had signed the Plain White T's and Vanessa Hudgens, he kinda left again for something and Veronica just started bitching about me bowing down to her whore of a daughter and I told her off. She grabbed me by the throat and dragged me into the kitchen where she grabbed some pills and basically shoved whatever came into her contact, in my mouth. I began telling her off again when I felt like a fucking sumo and fell. Veronica called Rosa and she brought me to my room. That's all I remember._

"Your own stepmother did this?" Kevin frowned, re-reading the Microsoft Word document, shaking his head. "We should report her or something."

_No, not yet. I'm planning something._ Brook shook her head slowly. _Give it some time._

Kevin looked doubtful and Joe looked like he wanted to punch the shit out of his own wall. "Mom wants us back," Nick said urgently the minute he stepped into Joe's room. "Like, now."

_Go, all of you. I need some serious sleep and I've got the biggest headache in the world, but I'd rather sleep it off._ Brook typed as she saw Joe's face of pure determination. _And if I don't look as fat as I feel, I might take a shower._

"You're not fat," Joe managed with a half ass smile. "But you're right, you need some sleep. Kevin, get changed and we'll meet you downstairs in five."

Kevin nodded before giving one last smile to Brook as he walked out and into his own room down the hall.

Joe sighed, his leg tapped up and down anxiously before he turned back to look at Brook, brushing her sidebangs out of the way, he offered her a small, crooked smile. "You scared me, you know?"

_Bringing back memories, Jonas? Chestnut Hill girls are all daredevils._ Brook's lip curled as she watched Joe nodded, letting out a simple sigh of relief. "Did you get my voice message?" Joe asked quietly and knew the answer even before Brook started typing as she fainted a blush and smiled. "I know it's not the best time to ask you but --"

"Joe! Let's go!" Kevin shouted from downstairs, sounding partially annoyed that Joe was the one who had told him and Nick to be downstairs in five minutes when it was probably Joe who needed it the most.

_You can tell me later, I have all the time in the world for you, Jonas. _Joe smiled, kissing her forehead before striding out of the room and downstairs where he and his brothers immediately took off for the Davis mansion.

* * *

Brook's eyelids flickered open when she heard the faint noise of a wooden drawer closing, she smiled faintly as her gut twisted again. It had been going on and off for a while now that Brook took no notice at all.

"Did I wake you?" Joe said softly, his eyes beaming with pride that he was finally doing something right.

"Not really," Brook whispered, she had gotten her voice back almost an hour ago and had already showered up, changing into a pair of cotton pajama pants and a Steve Miller Band concert t-shirt that she had found in Nick's closet, hoping he wouldn't mind coming home to find those items missing. "I've been...dozing."

Joe nodded, a small smile flickering on his lips as he sat down, crawling next to Brook's disheveled form in his king sized bed. "About that...question --" he started awkwardly.

"Yes," Brook murmured, alight with laughter like usual, it would take the world to bring Brook down. "But I left the ring in the box in my room for now," she added as her bare hands made their way to the top of the comforter. "For safe keeping."

"Oh, then I guess it's dangerous to say it's in my pocket," Joe grinned broadly, producing the ring he had spent a whole day choosing from the high priced jeweler store at the edge of town, it was fairly popular, and it took Joe nearly half an hour to buy it.

Brook couldn't help but roll her eyes and smile. "Extremely dangerous," she agreed with a soft, dry laugh, her throat itched and she felt tired all over again.

"Get some sleep, Davis," Joe returned her smile after sliding the ring on. "You're getting bags," he murmured tauntingly as he ran his thumb under her eye and rolling off of the bed. "See you in the morning," he said as he turned the lights off and closed the door behind him.

"G'night Joe," Brook whispered before burying her head into his pillow and falling asleep once more.

* * *

"B? You up?" Joe questioned his new girlfriend the next morning, poking his head into his room with a searching expression.

She shifted from her curled position and Joe smiled in amusement, it was just like her to sleep in the cutest positions. He strode over and sat down on his leather chair, she seemed to look better, but appearance wasn't everything.

"Joseph," Kevin hissed, shaking his head in disapproval. "Get out of there," he commanded.

"Why?" Joe asked simply. "I'm not doing anything," he added innocently.

"Your nickname is Danger, Joe, that should say something," Kevin sighed. "C'mon," he nodded, jerking his head back towards the door. "Come downstairs and have some breakfast, mom and dad should be leaving for the meeting with Mr. Davis soon, then you can come back up."

"Promise?" Joe asked with a childlike voice and a fake pout.

"Just get out," Kevin groaned, rolling his eyes and taking a step back as Joe got out of his chair, his eyes resting briefly on the promise ring before he closed the door softly behind him.

After a few more days of lying around, both in bed and to Ted Davis, Brook was finally feeling well enough to stay awake for more than four hours at a time.

"C'mon," Joe cajoled with a bright smile as he pulled at her hand eagerly. "It'll only be for a little bit and you can grab your phone or some clothes or lock your door or something."

Brook sighed before crawling across Joe's bed and hesitantly testing the strength in her legs before she stood up and staggered over to where Joe was standing, not too close, but not far just in case he was needed. He watched her carefully with his arms folded before he followed her down the stairs.

Brook slipped inside and up to her bedroom, where the sky blue painted door was still closed and with a quick glance around, she snuck inside, grabbing her Roxy bag and shoving the things she needed inside. It had been mere minutes when she heard a loud whistle that was supposed to be their code or something and with that, Brook walked out, locked her door, and trotted downstairs.

"Ready?" Joe asked, fiddling with his front pockets.

"Yeah, let's go," Brook nodded, eagerly following Joe out of her house and back to Kevin's car, which was still running.

They jumped inside and drove off, back to the Jonas house where they were just arriving as Denise and Paul were walking out of the door, looking flustered. "Oh, hello Brook," Denise forced a smile. "Nice to see you again, dear. Boys, we're going back to New Jersey for a couple of days to help out your grandfather."

"Why?" Frankie asked wearily from his spot in the car.

"Because your grandfather isn't feeling too well," Denise said slowly. "And the three of us are going to New Jersey to help him for a little while, ok?"

"Ok," Frankie nodded before returning to his GameBoy as his parents checked the car one more time before stepping to their half-grown sons, giving them a quick hug and kiss goodbye.

"No partying and I want the house to be here when we come back," Denise warned with a friendly smile as she started the car, you could have easily seen that the last comment was directed at Joe.

"Yes mommy," they chorused, all with identical smiles on their faces as Denise pulled away from the curb and drove off with one last honk.

_The way we get loose,_

_We move our shoulders._

_Forward._

_Head back._

_Get it in control like Janet Jack --_

"I love my ringtone," Brook cooed before she picked it up. "Yellow?"

"Pink," Diana replied. "Where are you? Rosa said you just left the house?"

"I'm with Joe," Brook said, turning to face the house. "I'm at their house, why?"

"Veronica and _Tiffy_ are killing me," Diana muttered in annoyance. "I'm trying to get Dillon to pick up Taylor earlier since they just left."

"All of them?" Brook asked in surprise.

"They were going to stop at the Mall of America before they came home," Diana said in irritation. "So I'm going to Alana's for a couple hours." Alana was their neighbor and apparently Diana was into her brother, Jesse.

"Joy, so call me back later?" Brook prompted as she followed the boys at a leisurely pace back inside the house.

"Yeah, laters then B," Diana said before hanging up, Brook gave a half shrug before sticking the phone into the back pocket of her flaring dark jeans, jumping up the three steps and into the Jonas house once more.

"Anyone want pancakes?" Kevin asked with a broad grin, his hair nice and curly after the early morning swim.

_"Don't you dare, Jonas!" Brook squealed, squirming for her life._

_"Hold your breath," Joe said once more before jumping in, resurfacing as his two brothers jumped in as well._

_"I am going to murder you alive," Brook frowned as she tied the strings to the sweatpants tighter. It didn't help that they were already sagging loose on her hips, now they were threatening to fall off._

_"C'mon Brooky, lighten up," Joe said cheerfully, unaware of the flinch that she had just produced off of that stupid nickname._

_"Just wait for it, Jonas, you'll regret dumping me into the pool," Brook said with an ever sweet smile and dead serious straight face._

"Busy?" Joe questioned, his head poked into his occupied room as Brook hung sideways off of the large bed, her hair waterfalling down the side of Joe's bedsheets.

"Nah, just...thinkin'," Brook answered, watching as Joe entered the room and close the door softly behind him, jumping onto his own bed.

"About?" he asked. "Anything in particular?"

"Not really," Brook admitted, glancing upwards. "Just...stuff. Like my mom's mare and Tar and Sky and the lake. Just things," she said mindlessly, turning on her back and staring at the ceiling.

"And how do you feel about that?" Joe queried, mocking a therapist with a fake smile as he pretended to clean his 'glasses' and write something down on his hand, which substituted for his notepad.

"Shut up," Brook laughed softly, whacking his shoulder, shifting her position to lean against Joe's side. He smirked before wrapping an arm around Brook's petite waist. "My life has some serious shit going on, I don't even think my little sister realizes that her mom isn't coming back," she added, glancing sideways.

"She's going to want to know sooner or later," Joe said with a concerned smile. "And she's going to want to know from the person she looks up too."

* * *

"Hey Lei, c'mere for a sec?" Brook said, her voice quivering with pain as her little seven year old sister bounded over with a bright expression.

"Yeah, BeBe?" Leilani inquired, tipping her head to one side with curiosity burning in her blue eyes.

"Um," Brook started, grabbing one of Lei's hand and playing with it for a moment before she continued. "You know how mommy's sick?"

"Yeah," Leilani's eyes widened. "Is she coming to visit? Is mommy getting better?"

Brook's face fell and she shook her head. "No, Lei, she's not coming to visit," her eyes watched as Lei bowed her head in sadness, she hadn't seen her mother since she was almost five.

"Then what is it?" Leilani asked as Brook crouched down.

"You know when your pet hamster died last year?" Brook said slowly, her mind whirling as she got closer to the actual problem. "And he went to heaven?" she paused, her horrifying news caught in her throat as she fought to continue. "Well its like that, mommy went to live with grammy up in heaven."

Leilani's face deteriorated and she broke down sobbing, Brook reached forward and grasped her into a tight hug. "I love you, Lei," she whispered.


	14. I Know The Muffin Man

**_Only eight reviews? Was that chapter sucky or something? Tell me how I'm doing so I know I'm not writing really cruddy chapters!!_**

Chapter 13

I Know The Muffin Man

"Did you tell her?" Joe asked, stepping inside the massive kitchen almost fifteen minutes later with a paper bag in hand. "How'd she take it?"

"She ran up into her room and locked the door," Brook sighed, placing her hands carefully on the counter, the soft fabric of her white long sleeve shirt subsiding the cold counter top. "And she won't come out."

"Where's her room?" Joe asked, prepared to use the antics he used with Frankie to bring him out of his downed mood.

"Upstairs second room to the right," Brook responded with a grim face as she watched Joe give her a reassuring wink before disappearing.

He walked up the stairs and knocked softly on the second door on his right. "Leilani?" he called softly.

"Who are you?" she sniffled through the door.

"I'm Frankie's older brother and Brook's friend," Joe said gently, leaning against the door frame as he listened as the girl blew her nose. "I know the perfect thing to make you feel better," he cajoled.

"What?" Leilani's voice was muffled as she came closer to the door.

"Do you like ice cream?" Joe asked as he heard the door unlock and the upset little girl appeared in the doorway, puffy eyes and a runny nose said it all.

Leilani nodded and shoved her thumb into her mouth as her arm clutched a worn teddy bear. "I...ice...cream," she mumbled, which Joe took as a yes.

"Ok," Joe nodded. "You want a piggyback ride downstairs?"

Leilani sucked her thumb in thought before nodding. Joe smiled encouragingly and crouched down, feeling as the girl jumped, wrapping her tiny arms around Joe's neck. "Hold on," he grinned before jumping up and jogging downstairs, his smile growing as he heard a small laugh come from Leilani.

Brook glanced up when she saw Joe burst through the door and into the kitchen with Leilani on his back, laughing through her tears. "BeBe! Look at me!" she cried out.

"I see," Brook nodded, then turned her gray eyes to Joe, who grinned with a half shrug.

* * *

The moment Brook felt whipped cream on her nose, she turned, her eyes wide as she clutched the spoon with the fudge on it. "Joe," she warned with an amused expression as she dabbed his cheek. "You've got a little something...right...there," she motioned, hitting him again.

Joe's jaw dropped, "Hey Lani, wanna hear a secret?" he whispered mischievously.

"Yeah!" Leilani squealed, leaning forward intently as Joe whispered. "I know... the muffin man!"

Lani giggled and she shook her head. "No way," she disagreed with a bright expression.

"Yup," Joe nodded, taking a finger and wiping the fudge off of his cheek and chin. "Frankie knows him too," he added. "In fact, we all know him."

"I don't!" she squealed indignantly, her eyes wide as she shoved another ice cream filled bite into her mouth. "Where is he?"

"He lives in Dreary Lane," Joe responded solemnly, taking a bite of his own ice cream while Brook shook her head, his hazel eyes were dancing in amusement that he had caught Leilani's attention. "He's got a muffin girl and his platinum muffin grill."

"Joe!" Brook squealed, slapping his shoulder, her seven year old sister didn't need to be knowing about grills.

Joe grinned before turning his attention back onto Leilani, whose turquoise blue eyes were begging for more. "He sings and dances too," he added. "_And _he's going to get a muffin cell phone too, with bluetooth."

Brook snorted. A muffin man with a muffin grill and girl that is getting a muffin cell phone with bluetooth. Really believable. "I like you, Joe," Leilani declared. "You can come to my birthday party on Thursday!"

"Lei, don't you think that --" Brook started only to be interrupted by Joe.

"I'd love to," Joe grinned.

"Lani forgot to include that it's a princess themed party," Brook added dryly, she couldn't help but smile though, it was cute that he wanted to be involved with the Davis sisters.

"Brooklynn!" Tiffany's ear piercing scream rang through the main room. "Come here _now_!"

"Lei, go up to your room," Brook commanded gently. "I'll be up in a minute." Leilani nodded and scrambled to get her things together before she slipped away, trying not to be seen by _her_.

Brook motioned for Joe to stay there before she calmly walked towards the main room. "What Britney?"

"It's Tiffany," she spat, her small frame suddenly looking like a pissed off cat. "And I dropped my phone, get it."

"Fuck that," Brook laughed aloud. "Do it yourself, I'm not your maid and I know what you did, I'm not a complete ditz."

"Could have fooled me," she hissed, flexing her fingers as though invisibly texting someone. "Grab it, now. My mom told you to be nice to me."

"Oh, ok," Brook nodded slowly. "Let me rephrase that then. Please fuck that becuase I'm not your maid and I know what you did, so I'd rather not pick anything of yours up from the floor."

"Oh?" Tiffany's eyebrows arched as a villainous smile crossed her face. "Then you'll be pleased to hear I did that tall guy that you have a picture of on your phone. Boy is he _big_, if you know what I mean," she laughed delicately. "A bit rough, but who _doesn't _like it like that?"

Brook's gaze didn't waver. "Please, once again, I might be stupid, but I'm not stupid enough to know that that guy you _thought_ you did, has a purity ring, which means he won't be doing _you_ or your friends."

"Silly little virgin girl," Tiffany laughed icily. "So naive and stupid."

"Just wait until your pregnant at age 15," Brook smiled sweetly before turning on one heel where she grabbed her bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough sundae and slipped away, Joe following her with a bewildered expression. "Lei, it's us," Brook whispered after knocking softly.

"Did she get you?" Leilani whispered after the couple stepped inside of the nearly all pink bedroom, complete with sparkles and almost every Disney princess DVD possible.

"Almost," Brook answered with a lopsided smile. "But I got away," she added.

Leilani breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good," she nodded her head approvingly. "Hey sissy, guess what?"

"What, Lei?" Brook asked, taking a bite of a ball of dough.

"Daddy said you and _her_ are going to be enter...enter..." she paused. "Entertaining us!" she finished with a toothy smile. "And Diana," she added quickly.

"Did he say how?" Brook asked, startled. This was definitely news for her.

Leilani shrugged and grabbed a bright red color of nail polish, "Can we paint your nails, Joey?"

* * *

"Brook, Tiffany tells me that you went into her room and stole her ring," Veronica said later that night as she took a bite of white rice. "Is that true?"

"Of course it is, mommy! She's still wearing it!" Tiffany shrieked, causing Diana and Leilani to pull back from the table.

Veronica eyed the promise ring and nodded in agreement. "You couldn't possibly afford that, could you?" her electric green eyes dared Brook to protest.

_Could_ you? Brook shot back mentally. "I couldn't," she agreed. "But my boyfriend could."

Both Ted and Veronica looked startled at her response. "When did this happen, sweetheart?" Ted asked.

"A couple of days ago when Veronica accused me of using crack," Brook answered nonchalantly.

Veronica gasped and her fork fell onto her plate with a loud clattering noise. "I would never do that to my own daughter!"

"Exactly, that's why you did it to me," Brook smirked, enjoying her iced water. "Because I'm _not_ your daughter, _she_ is."

"Ted, you can't possibly believe this nonsense, could you?" Veronica pleaded, looking at her third husband for backup.

Ted's eyes were weary as they flickered back and forth. "I don't, but I do believe my daughter when she says the ring is hers."

Tiffany huffed. "But it's _mine_!"

"You only want to _believe_ its yours," Brook smiled innocently. "When the fact is, your --" a swift nudge from Diana made her re-think her words. "Not in a relationship anymore."

"Daddy!" Leilani spoke up. "I invited Joe to my birthday party and he said he could come!"

"But he already agreed to go out with me," Tiffany shrieked.

Brook laughed calmly. "See this ring, _Tiffy_?" she spat out with the easygoing expression she used to carry. "It's mine and Joe gave it to me, which, if you hadn't caught on by now, you never did him, had this ring, and he never agreed to go out with you because he's already in a relationship, sweetie," Brook violently slid back her chair and stood up. "It was a good dinner, Lauren!" she called into the kitchen to the in-house chief before pulling out her phone and texting Joe.

Brook snuck down to the front gates as the familiar Jeep pulled up. "Hey," Brook smiled.

"Jump in," Joe motioned, reaching over and throwing the door open. "So what happened?"

"Tiffany thought I stole _my_ ring from _her_ and she made this huge deal out of it," Brook rolled her eyes as Joe gave her a small welcoming kiss as he pulled away. "So I'm pretty annoyed."

"Did you eat?" he asked worriedly, glancing sideways as he drove down the road.

"Define eat," Brook offered as she let out a soft sigh, leaning against the seat and lifting her legs. "I had a bite of rice."

"Kev's making steak," Joe laughed, eyes glowing and a flicker of relief flashed on his face. "No protesting."

"Wasn't going to say anything," Brook held up her hands in defense, ring flashing with the passing cars on the other side of the road.

"You say that about a lot of things," Joe teased, turning up the radio as Taylor Swift began.

Brook laughed and cheerfully raised her voice and sang along, rolling the window down and letting her hand ride the wind.

_I was ridin' shotgun with my hair undone in the front seat of the car,_

_He got one hand feel on the steerin' wheel the other on my heart._

Brook grinned and tossed a playful look over to Joe, who was rolling his eyes.

_I look around turn the radio down; he says 'Baby is something wrong?'_

_I say nothing, I was just thinking how we don't have a song._

"C'mon Joe," Brook taunted, giving him a prompting look as he began mumbling the lyrics while Brook managed to raise her voice even more, practically belting out the song, accent and all.

_And he said, our song is the slammin' screen doors,_

_Sneaking out late, tappin' on your window._

_When your on the phone and you talk real slow,_

_Cuz it's late and your momma don't know._

Brook smiled when she finally heard Joe's voice, turning the song into a temporary duet and they sang even after Joe parked the car in the driveway, causing lights to go on and shouts to be heard.

"Shut up!" could be heard in the distance and neither one minded one bit, even if they were just messing around with the song.

"I don't think they liked us, Joe," Brook laughed breathlessly, her face flushed from the minutes of adrenaline.

"Me neither," Joe agreed, leading her inside of the house where Nick was in the kitchen grabbing a drink and Kevin was out back, barbecuing. "Back," he declared as he walked into the backyard.

"Hey," Kevin nodded, his eyes focused on the sizzling meat.

"Hi Kevin," Brook said with a hint of laughter in her voice as she crossed her arms and brushed back her hair.

"Oh!" Kevin said in surprise as though a speck of hot grease had just hit him. "Hi Brook, feeling better?"

"Loads, I'd feel awesome if I didn't have a bitchy step-mom or stepsister," Brook said with a careless half shrug.

Kevin chuckled. "Do I want to know what they've done now?"

"Not really," Brook shook her head, the faintest of smiles playing at her lips. "Just being their catty selves."

"Ouch," Kevin grinned. "Staying for dinner?"

"If that's cool with you," Brook shrugged again, feeling her phone vibrate in her back pocket.

"Yeah, totally. It'll be ready in fifteen minutes," Kevin nodded.

"Thanks Kev," Brook nodded as Joe laced their fingers and basically dragged her back inside. "Jealousy?" she whispered, smirking ever so slightly.

"Ah, you wish Davis," Joe cocked an eyebrow.

"You totally are," Brook smiled, poking Joe's cheek with her only free index finger. "Just say it," she sighed in amusement. "I think it's cute."

"I am not jealous," Joe stated shortly, his gleaming eyes said otherwise.

Brook pursed her lips out and rolled her eyes. "You so are, Joe," she smiled brightly, jumping onto his bed with a sigh, inhaling the familiar scents. "I love your bed," she said mindlessly as she sunk backwards onto the pile of pillows he owned.

"Do...you...really?"

"You're such a guy," Brook couldn't help but giggle as the trail of soft kisses came closer and closer to her lips. She squealed right in Joe's ear when she felt an even stronger vibration coming from her back pocket.

She grabbed her phone and it was whisked from her hands by Joe and she watched as he tossed it onto his carpet. "No phone," he commanded with a small smile.

"Your phone?" Brook held out a hand and wriggled her fingers at him. "That lump in your back pocket wasn't nothing, Joe."

He smirked before pulling out his phone and tossing it to the floor next to Brook's phone. "Happy?"

"I guess," Brook answered wryly, one hand lightly resting on Joe's chest as she leaned forward. "Can I sleep here tonight?" she asked, she wasn't in much of a mood to be bossed around by a couple of blonde bitches that thought they owned the world because they married into a family of money...for the third time. "Please?"

Joe sighed and wrapped an arm around his girlfriend, bringing her close. "You can stay as long as you want too," he smiled, giving her a small, reassuring smile.

"Thank you," she breathed with the most grateful look you'd ever see.

"You're my girlfriend now, I'd do anything for you," Joe whispered faithfully into her ear.

* * *

The even breathing of Brook kept Joe wondering and thinking as the minutes passed and the clock ticked, his arm was calmly around Brook's waist as she slept in Joe's usual spot, in the middle.

It was around nine the next morning and everything seemed calm so far, but Joe could only wonder how someone so cheerfull and playfull could look so vulnerable. It was simple, yet so complicated that no one could see it unless they actually saw it.

Brook's small shift made Joe glance down briefly before returning to his thoughts. His confused thoughts. But for now, it was all about Brook. Brooklynn Davis. Brooklynn Jade Davis, his girlfriend. It was all about now.

He leaned down after a while and began nuzzling her neck. "Brook," he whispered after hearing his brothers loud trodding downstairs. "Hey cutie, time to get up."

"Why?" she murmured tiredly, completely content at her position currently. "I'm still tired."

"I know," Joe smiled in amusement. "But it's passed nine."

"So?" Brook groaned, curling under the comforter, wriggling against the cold air. "I wanna sleep," she complained. "Stay," she instructed. "Stay here."

"Don't make me throw you into the pool," Joe warned with a sideglance at his window. "Again."

"Do that and you'll never kiss me again," Brook mumbled and Joe knew she meant every word.

"Fine, you keep sleeping and I'll make some pancakes," Joe said, kissing her cheek as he crawled out. "But I refuse to bring them up," he added.

"Mmm," Brook mumbled.

Joe laughed before closing the door and walked downstairs where he grabbed the container of flour. "Ooh, pancakes," Nick grinned. "Sweet."

"Rockin'," Kevin agreed as he grabbed the container of milk. "Is Brook still sleeping?"

"I think so," Joe shrugged with a small smile. "She was half dead when I told her I was going downstairs to make breakfast."

"Burned," Nick couldn't help but grin as he exchanged a high five with Kevin, who was chuckling under his breath.

Joe rolled his eyes. "Truthfully, you guys suck a comebacks."

"Dude, I bet you five bucks she's climbing out your window," Nick grinned, taking a swing of his sugar free Red Bull.

"Guys, c'mon," Joe frowned. "Seriously, I like her. Once you two figure out what that's like, then talk."

"Speaking of, I'm going to call Michelle," Nick rolled his eyes before shuffling upstairs and unplugging his phone.

"You guys are impossible," Joe mumbled, stirring the contents of the bowl. "But why didn't Nick bring her to meet mom and dad?" he asked, realizing that they had gotten together even before he and Brook did, yet Brook was the only one who had met their parents and little brother.

"Nick didn't feel ready," Kevin said with a shrug. "He wanted to make sure it was going to last before he even thought of introducing Michelle to our parents."

"Oh," Joe said, startled, he knew how Nick was, but it just occured to him that he had impulsively introduced his girlfriend and his parents. Wow. But he was pretty glad it went well, especially since Frankie had taken a liking to Brook, which gave Joe the ok. "Cool, I guess."

Kevin snorted, "We you even _going out_ when you introduced Brook to our parents."

It was like he could read minds or something. "Uh..." Joe mused. "Not exactly."

"Define _not exactly_," Kevin sighed.

"I really don't think you'd want to know," Joe insisted as he poured the batter into the pan.

* * *

The minute Brook stepped outside, she knew she had a good feeling about not wearing a mini skirt to a teeny boppers party, so instead, she wore her famous strapless dress, it was black that ended around mid-thigh and an inch and a half black heels. "Happy birthday, Lei," she smiled, waving daintily to her little sister, who was jumping on the big inflatable jumper thing with a dozen others.

"Thanks, BeBe!" Leilani blushed profusely, waving excitedly, her matching bangles flashed before she bounced out of Brook's sight.

Brook smiled and checked her watch, the wristband was stripped black and white_- 10:41_. The party ended around three thirty when Brook, Diana, Leilani, and Ted were going to fly out to Michigan to pick up Dillon's niece, Taylor.

"You look nice, sweetheart," Ted smiled as he looked around with pride that his daughter's 8th birthday was going well so far. He spotted Diana helping with the hats and the goodie bags and nodded.

"Thanks, dad," Brook smiled, watching as Diana fixed her checkered mini skirt before helping a party go-er with their party hat.

"_Seniorita_ Davis," Rosa called in her heavily accented voice. "_Senior _Jonas has arrived," she announced with a teasing wink.

"If you don't mind, sweetheart, I'd like to clear some things up with Joe," Ted said, folding his arms with a wisdom graced look. "Just to lighten the mood between Tiffany and I."

"Sure thing, dad," Brook shrugged. "Then can you send him out here?"

"Sure, sweetie," Ted nodded before he stepped into the house.

"Can you _believe_ that little Lei's already eight?" Diana giggled with an amused filled look at the castle jumper, where Leilani was dressed up as a princess, tiara and all.

"No," Brook admitted with a sheepish, half smile. "That little munchkin will be going to Woodland sooner than we think."

"I know," Diana gushed with a bright smile. "She will _run_ that school," she teased.

"If she's a Davis, you know she will," Brook beamed, sweeping her sidebangs back with a simple flick of her wrist.

"God, these stilletos are friggen killing me," Diana hissed, glancing down at the designer heels that she had chosen to wore. "Little Miss Priss stole my good flats," she frowned, sending a distastful look at Tiffany's direction as she flirted with Jesse. "Stupid bitch."

"I heard her friends are coming," Brook groaned.

"That, my sis, should be interesting," Diana grinned.

* * *

It had all happened in ten seconds or less. The group of teeny boppers and family had finished singing Happy Birthday to Leilani and the newly made 8 year old was bending over to blow out the candles when Tiffany stepped forward and shoved Lei's face into it with a loud, laugh. Brook and Diana stormed over, Diana taking Leilani, and Brook...well, Brook gave her a right hook, causing a faint red firework to go off. "You little wrench!" she screamed, throwing her first back for another one.

Everyone had seen it, so no one could deny the fact that Tiffany in fact, had shoved little Leilani into the cake.

Tiffany's besties- Brittney and Sidney, both lunged forward in defense while all of the little people screamed with terror and darted around wildly as Brook managed a quick punch at Sidney, sending her squealing that her fake nose had been ruined while she lunged for Brittney, only to be pulled back sharply by muscled arms.

"Hey, B, stop," Joe warned calmly, holding the struggling girl back with a simple forearm. "B, listen to me, stop," he said softly. "Stop fighting, don't fight me," his words soothed her furious thoughts before she tore herself from his soft, yet firm grip and hurried over to Leilani, who was bawling as Diana tried to clean her off.

Brook immediately swipped her fingers together across Leilani's face, wiping off the icing that hadn't been wiped off yet. "Easy Lei, stand still," Diana murmured, grabbing another handful of napkins.

"W-why d-did s-she d-do t-that t-to m-me?" Leilani bawled, her eyes screwed shut tightly as she clutched her party hat with white knuckles.

"Don't worry, Lei," Diana soothed her. "B, beat her up for you."

"C'mon, lets get her inside," Brook urged as they each grabbed hold of her shoulder and pulled her inside, well aware of Tiffany's screeching, Veronica's shrill demands, and Ted and Joe's bewildered faces, full of shock and some what disappointment.

Just another day.


	15. This Is Me

**_I almost didn't want to post this chapter, but...yeah. I have 60 story alerts on this story and barely one fourth of you are reviewing. I know everyone won't review on one chapter because that would be totally insane, but seriously I want to give a big shout out to everyone who has reviewed in the past and everyone who has just started reading this story and are addicted to it, like I am. But here it is and as a warning, this is probably the last chapter of the Brook/Joe fluff for a couple chapters._**

Chapter 14

This Is Me

"You can't shut me out like this, B," Joe sighed, folding his arms over his gold jacket with a faint look of disappointment. "Please just talk to me," he pleaded, his eyes begging as he simply watched her sit on her bed.

"I'm confused right now," Brook faked a faint smile in return. "Just completely...confused."

Joe smiled in relief that he hadn't totally shut out, but he leaned forward intently. "I know another really cool spot to hang out," he said persuasively. "Wanna join?"

Brook eyed him for a moment. "Where?"

"It's a surprise," Joe grinned. "And I'm not taking no for an answer."

* * *

"Your den?" Brook asked, glancing around. "At your house? Not much of a surprise."

"But you forgot one thing," Joe grinned, returning into the room with a large comforter. "My brothers and your sisters are _upstairs_ and we aren't. There's a big difference there."

Brook rolled her eyes as he pulled out the small couch and transformed it into a springy bed, good for a couple hours of rest before it got annoying. "Joining me, Davis, or sticking with the floor?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he sat down, throwing the comforter around in a comfortable position as he straightened the pillow.

Brook rolled her eyes again before sitting down and leaning into Joe as he pressed play. "The perfect movie," he announced in a dramatic whisper.

"_Talladega Nights_?" Brook questioned, lifting an eyebrow as she glanced up ninety degrees.

"I'm waiting for something special," Joe whispered, his eyes gleaming with mystery.

"And just what is that something special?" Brook persisted eagerly.

"You," he paused. "Are going to have to wait for it."

"Why?" Brook reached up and daintily kissed his chin.

"Because I said so," he replied matter-of-factly.

Ten minutes later Will Farrel had managed a laugh from Brook and Joe grinned. "I've found it," he whispered into her ear.

Brook blushed and buried her head even deeper, watching the rest of the movie in an extremely lighter mood. Especially during the second movie of _Transformers _when Kevin, Nick, and Leilani had come to join them. Leilani jumping in the middle of Joe and Brook for the full effect of companionship and Kevin and Nick squeezed in what they could next to Brook without killing anyone.

"Sorry," Nick mumbled when he elbowed Brook in the side, causing a soft squeal from the girl.

"It's ok," Brook smiled, giving the lowly sophomore a sweetened gaze as her gray eyes returned to the TV screen, but she couldn't help but notice how 'family-ish' they looked.

Joe could be the perfect father figure and Leilani took to him quickly. It was pretty cute if you saw them earlier, playing tag in the backyard and then piggy backing inside.

It wasn't long before Leilani had fallen asleep, Kevin had returned to his room, and Nick had dozed off. "Tired?"

"Almost," Brook offered a small smile as she reached under the comforter and found Joe's hand, twining them together tiredly. "It was a rough day."

"How's the wrist?" Joe grinned. "You threw a couple good ones."

"It's bit sore," Brook admitted. "But I'm fine," she insisted shyly. "Really."

Joe nodded, but rubbed it lightly with his thumb as the movie proceeded, watching Brook out of the corner of his eyes- sigh in relief, her eyelids closing briefly as she, too, began to doze off. Joe smiled in satisfaction, the room filled with Will Farrel and nothing else.

"I'm with a friend," Brook whispered into the phone almost an hour later after Joe had fallen asleep. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Are you sure that's safe?"

"Sorry, ok. I'll ask" Brook rolled her eyes. "Bye."

One of Joe's eyes had popped open. "Who was that?"

Brook jumped. "Shit, Joe, don't do that," she breathed, giving him a hard, playful glare as she set her iPhone aside.

"Ow," Nick mumbled, rubbing his shin under the comforter.

"Sorry Nick J," Brook ruffled his head of curls with a smile before answering Joe's question. "My dad, he invited you all to dinner."

* * *

Brook nearly laughed aloud when Tiffany joined them at the mahogany wood table with a purple-ish ring around her right eye as well as a smaller bruise by her nose and jaw, as soon as she stepped inside, her icy glare turned to Brook as her lip curled. "Hey Tiffany," Brook smiled ever so sweetly.

"What?" she snapped.

"You've got a little something," Brook smirked, motioning towards her eye.

Tiffany squealed in protest as Veronica sat down. "Stop picking on your sister, Brook," she frowned.

"Step-sister," Brook corrected. "And I wasn't, I was just telling her about a mark she had on her face."

"Brooklynn Jade," Ted warned, humor in his deep blue eyes that little Leilani had inherited. "No crude humor either," you could tell Ted Davis was trying not to smile himself, it ran in the family.

"Yes, dad," Brook rolled her eyes and gasped lightly when she felt Joe's hand on the inside of her thigh, running up and down with the tip of his fingers, she glanced sideways and saw that he, too, was trying not to smile.

Her breath came out uneven as Rosa and Lauren walked out with the appetizers in hand, salads with crispy chicken. Brook coughed loudly when his fingers walked across her skin. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" Ted asked, glancing at his eldest daughter with a look of concern.

"I'm fine dad," Brook nodded, slapping his hand away from underneath the table. "Just fine, just got bit by a little bug or something." she said dismissively.

"Oh," Ted nodded as Joe grinned to himself, taking a bite of the chicken. "Although it might be too cold for mosquito's."

"Yeah," Brook mumbled, trying not to turn pink. "Maybe they like the house or something," she shrugged before turning to her salad.

Ted nodded as he took a sip of his drink, turning to his napkin at the same time Joe continued his finger skimming, the occasional flickering of the eyes, but other than that, the raven haired boy stayed quiet.

"Oh, Brook," Veronica smiled, giving Brook a swfit chill knowing something was up, that girl never smiled unless she was about to insult people or get Ted's credit card. "What's it like?"

Brook's face expressed confusion as she stared at her dumbly. "What's what like?"

"Being preggo," Veronica replied smugly, sending Brook spitting her drink clear across the table to hit Tiffany full on in the face. "You know, pregnant?"

Brook was coughing uncontrollably and Ted's knife dropped. "I am _not_ pregnant, you crazy bitch," she laughed.

"Brook," Ted warned, full aware of the higher tensions and high pitched squeals coming from Tiffany, who was spluttering to get Brook's DNA off of her face.

"Dad, you believe me when I tell you I'm definitely not pregnant, right?" Brook tossed at her father, knowing well aware of what is answer was going to be, as weird as it might sound.

"But I saw the test in her bathroom!" Veronica shrieked.

"Ok, one, I haven't been home for the last week and two, I'm not a little slut whore like your daughter," Brook blinked, nodding in Tiffany's direction. "So I'm proud to announce that I am, in fact, a virgin."

Diana was grinning at her spot next to Leilani, who was tipping her head to one side in complete confusion. "Di, take Leilani into the main room for a couple of minutes," Diana frowned, but obeyed her father and ushered Leilani away. "Veronica, I know my daughter isn't that stupid."

"Are you calling my baby stupid?" Veronica shrilled indignantly, her eyes slowly narrowing into vicious slits, as her little Pomerianian yapped, darting around Veronica wildly as though on crack or something.

"I'm calling your daughter irresponsible, not stupid," Ted corrected as he let his arms rest on the extravagantly polished mahogany table. "But Brook, she's been in many relationships and I know how she works."

Toldja that sounded weird.

Brook flushed, but was nodding along to what her father was saying, she was pretty big on her family when it came to guys. "You can't possibly think my daughter is pregnant after being in a relationship for almost a week, could you?" he questioned, turning sideways to stare at Veronica. "My daughter_s _are not hoe's."

Veronica gasped indignantly. "Are you taking _her_ side?"

"_She _has a name, Veronica, and yes I am," Ted responded with a firm nod. "Neither of my daughters have ever had sex or have flaunted their body indicating that they were willing to. So I have reason to believe that you or Tiffany had just made this up."

Brook couldn't help but smile in satisfaction, all of what Veronica and Tiffany had aimed at Brook was now coming back to bite them in the ass. Can you say- _perfect_?

Veronica was at a loss of words and Brook silently triumphed, slapping Joe's wondering hand away once more, he was pretty determind not to give up or let go. "Brook, why don't you and your friends go and eat out on the deck and I'll have Pete bring it out to you, take Di and Lani with you," he said, his eyes locked with Veronica's.

* * *

It would have been the perfect Christmas present if Ted told Veronica and Tiffany to get lost, but...that wasn't happening. _Sadly. _

But they had no imput on Brook or her relationships, no matter how hard she tried. "B, my mom just called and she wasn't feeling to well, so I'm going to Florida for a couple of days," Ted had said almost three days ago. "I'll be back, take care of Di and Lani for me, ok?"

Brook had mumbled an inaudible reply before turning over in her bed and returning to her sleep, thinking it was some way to annoy her when it was mere days before Christmas, her favorite time of the year.

And now it seemed as though the family part of the holidays had flown away with their father when he jetted off to Florida to help his own parents.

"Where's daddy?" Leilani asked groggily, rubbing her eyes in the early morning after jumping on Diana and Brook's bed to wake them up, shrieking the usual.

"He went to help grammy and grandpa in Florida, remember?" Brook wrapped an arm around Leilani's petite neck and watched as she was jolted back with her memory.

"Oh yeah," she nodded slowly. "Can I open presents?"

"Sure, baby," Diana smiled, the large mansion seemed quiet since everyone had a day off and was living in their cottages at the edge of the large property, which surprisingly, was almost fifty acres. You could do anything and everything you wanted too. "I'm going to check if Lauren made any of her suger cookies," she called over her shoulder as she shuffled away from the main hall.

"B! Look!" Leilani smiled happily, holding up a Polly Pocket doll house triumphantly. "Look at what Santa brought me!"

"That's great," Brook nodded approvingly. "Did you get the matching ponies you wanted?"

Leilani blinked before shrugging and furiously tearing at another present in high hopes of the matching pony set. The gate buzzer rang further down the hall and Brook glanced up. "I'lk get it," she called before getting off of the couch and slowly making her way towards the speakerphone thing. "Hello?"

"Hi, this is FedEx, I've got a package here for a Brooklynn Jade Davis, am I at the correct place?"

"Yes, you are. I'll buzz you in," Brook said tiredly, covering her mouth for a yawn before buzzing the FedEx guy through the gates, she opened the door as the white van with the FedEx logo crawled further up the driveway. "Miss Davis?"

"There's three others in this house," Brook laughed softly. "But I'm Brook."

The guy looked puzzled for a moment. "Brooklynn, Brook is just shorter," Brook said hastily as he wearily handed her the clipboard, signing it in a matter of seconds and watching as the FedEx guy walked out with a brightly wrapped box with punctured holes on the side.

"Thank you and happy holidays," he nodded before jumping back into the van.

"What the hell?" Brook muttered, the box was light, yet lopsided in a way she couldn't configure yet. She dragged it through the hall and into the main room where Leilani was sitting in the middle of a huge pile of wrapping paper, gleaming as she dove towards her next present.

"What's that, BeBe?" Diana asked through a bite of chocolate chip cookie, setting the plate down on the coffee table.

"No idea," Brook admitted before she flipped the top open and she brightened. "Check it out," she cooed, dipping her hands into a pocket to pick up a chocolate brown colored Border Collie puppy with a red ribbon tucked neatly around its neck. "Cute wittle puppy," she smiled as the thing nosed her.

Leilani turned sharply. "Puppy!" she squealed and Brook set the Border Collie down before Diana threw her an envelope that had been attached to the top of the box.

_Hey B,_

_Merry Christmas. I saw this while Kevin, Nick, and I were shopping for our parents and when they weren't looking I bought her. Pretty cute, huh? I know Lei's going to like her, but I left the name up to you. Call me later,_

_-Joe_

"Shit, what _doesn't _he do?" Diana gasped in mock annoyance, smiling broadly when the puppy licked her cheek after wriggling around excitedly. "What're you going to name her?"

"Princess! Name her Princess!" Leilani faced her eldest sister with a pleading expression with a hopeful smile.

Brook laughed and nodded. "Ok," she smiled. "Her name is Princess."

"Yay!" Leilani squealed, patting the puppy before returning to her presents.

"What'd you think, puppy?" Brook murmured as the newly named Princess crawled over her legs. "Do you like Princess?"

One deep brown eye and one blue eye watched Brook carefully as she talked, eventually tipping her head to one side. "I'll take that as a yes," she sighed.

"Sissy, why are you talking to Princess?" Leilani asked.

"I dunno," the older girl shrugged.

"Talking to animals is weird," Leilani stated matter-of-factly.

Brook and Diana laughed. "Sure," Brook nodded with a twinge in her gray eyes. "Whatever you say, Lei."

"Ooph," Brook grunted as Princess pounced on her stomach almost half an hour later. "That hurts," she laughed, playfully pushing the little Collie off, who yelped before padding over and pouncing on Diana's pajama pants. "Silly puppy," she observed.

"Lauren left some heat up food," Diana reported.

* * *

Brook shoved the spoon covered in brownie mix into her mouth when the buzzer went off. "Hewhoa?" she paused, taking the spoon out of her mouth. "Sorry, hello?"

"Is this the Davis residence?" a smooth voice rang through the speaker, Brook smiled recognizing it almost immediately.

"I'll buzz you in," Brook rolled her eyes.

"I've got two cars," he added as Brook pressed a button and stepped away, opening the door almost three minutes later.

"Happy Holidays," Brook greeted the arriving family. "I wasn't expecting visitors," she added at her red, green, and white plaid pajama pants and white tank top.

"That's quite alright, Brook," Denise smiled, giving the girl a one armed hug.

"How was New Jersey?" Brook asked, stepping aisde to let everyone inside the house, spoon erect in her hand, shuffling sideways in her ankle-length Converse socks.

"It was ok," Denise nodded, then gasped. "What a cute puppy!" Frankie slipped by and tottered down the hall in search of Leilani.

"Thank you," Brook responded with a small smile as she hugged the three remaining brothers, lingering a bit longer in Joe's embrace before stepping back. "We're just finishing up the brownies," she said, leading the group into the kitchen. "Hope you don't mind the mess," she added.

"Of course not," Denise smiled, her eyes glowed at the closeness of the three sisters. "I brought over some pie," she offered.

"Thank you, Merry Christmas, Mrs. Jonas," Diana nodded, gratefully taking the tin-foiled covered pie. "Mr. Jonas."

"No problem, dear," Denise smiled. "Joseph told me that your father had flown to Florida with some family problems, we just wanted to check up on you girls."

"We're surviving," Diana laughed as the oven screeched, indicating that the oven was finally pre-heated. "But he should be home before the new years."

"Well that's good," Paul observed as he poked his head around the corner to watch Frankie and Leilani play. "Are you three doing alright on your own?"

"We're positive, Mr. Jonas," Diana smiled broadly. "It's only a few more days to hold up the fort and you all can stop by whenever you'd like.

Paul smiled and nodded. "If you don't mind, I'll be back in a second," Brook said before slipping away and upstairs to her room, jumping onto her bed, and waiting for a moment until she heard the faint noise of footsteps coming up the stairs. "Took you long enough."

"Sor-ry," Joe smiled as Brook's arms latched around his neck. "Merry Christmas, B."

"You too," Brook responded, poking his cheek playfully with a slim index finger and watched as his bemused expression broaded, his mouth twitched in a forming smile. Brook flopped back with her arms spread out on her pillows.

"Did you give her a name?" Joe asked expectantly, leaning forward eagerly, crawling onto the bed to sit down next to Brook.

"Lei named her Princess," Brook admitted with a sheepish smile as she grabbed Joe's hand and toyed with it. "Thank you," she smiled softly, pecking his lips with a content look crossing her face, she was finally settling down.

"Welcome," Joe answered simply, returning the kiss with a bit more fire and passion, his eyes burned into hers, and he smiled as he pressed his forehead against Brook's. "See you downstairs," he whispered before slipping off of the bed and back downstairs, knowing that Brook's smoky gray eyes had followed him until his lanky form had turned the corner and her door.

* * *

"Don't choke me, Joe," Brook murmured, eyes closed in a light doze by the guest house on a beach chair. Once the sun had show up, the pair knew it was only going to last for a few hours, especially in the wintertime.

"Sorry," he smiled, resting his hands in a light lock around her neck. They were probably the cutest sight to see, besides the fact that they were the only sight to see resting by the poolside. Brook was leaning against his chest and Joe was beneath her, both dozing with whatever sun they could get. Truly adorable teenage love.

"Sun feels so nice," she whispered, shifting ever so slightly to a more comfortable position.

"Brooklynn Davis!" A girlish voice shrilled, making Brook jump up with a faint blush, but a bright smile.

"Bri, you prick," Brook laughed, throwing her arms around the laughing girl. "When'd you get here? And who the hell invited you to my crib?"

"Small talk, dah-ling," she giggled, her eyes slipping passed Brook's petite shoulder to eye the tan and muscled raven haired boy lying in a confused state on a beach chair with red board shorts. "Happy Holidays to you too," she whispered in excitement, her eyes brimming with an unspoken taunt that passed from one best friend to the other.

"Shut up," Brook smiled broadly, slapping Briana playfully. "But seriously, what are you doing here?" she asked, folding her arms.

"I just wanted to see how my bestie was doing without me since you _haven't called me _but to my surprise, I find you and JoBro tanning together, which by the way is going to look pretty farmer-ish since you're taking up his _torso_," Briana smirked, imitating Brook by folding her arms as well, her hair whipping in her face at the sudden wisp of wind. "So spill."

"Nothing..." Brook protested lamely and with a hard look, she finished with one last word. "Yet," she offered a sheepish smile, lifting her hands to quickly readjust her bikini top, the string fabric dug into her skin.

"You little fiotch," Briana laughed, making a face at her.

"You wanna go inside?" Brook prompted, resting her hands on her jutted hip. Briana cocked an eyebrow at Joe and Brook turned. "Hey Joe, wanna head inside?"

He blinked. "Sure," he shrugged lazily, slowly getting to his feet and grabbing his t-shirt before he hesitantly made his way over to the pair of murmuring girls. "Can I drive the golf-cart?" he asked eagerly.

"Yeah, knock yourself out," Brook nodded, tossing him the keys as he walked passed, he caught them with an outstretched hand and winked before striding over to the golf cart outside of the pool's gates.

"So spill," Briana insisted, blocking the girl's path from following the coveteted junior boy that was climbing into the golf cart.

"Long story short, his brother came over to play with Lei, he said somethings including something about a ring, I found it, he sang, Veronica drugged me, Tiffany stole the ring, Joe and his brothers saved me, I stayed there, and now here we are," Brook said quickly, fighting a smile.

Briana let out an earsplitting squeal and clapped her hands as she jumped on her toes, grinning broadly. "I can't believe you!" she shrieked, causing Joe to glance over in their direction. "And you didn't tell me?" she continued, well aware that she had grabbed Joe's attetion as well. "Where's the ring?"

Brook lifted her left hand and wriggled her fingers and Briana grinned, admiring the promise ring with wide eyes. "That's cute," she giggled.

"Cute?" Brook snorted. "Just go," she pointed towards the golf cart, stifling laughter, and shoving Briana's shoulder.

"Cute puppy!" Briana cooed, holding her arms out to the wobbling puppy as she ran full out towards the group of people, slipping with the smooth flooring. "Name?"

"Princess," Brook rolled her eyes, well aware that Joe was smirking beside her. "Or Ces," she smiled.

"Such a cutie," Briana vigorously rubbed the little Border Collie. "How old is she, Joe?"

* * *

"And she was like 'No way!' and I was like 'Yeah, totally,'" Briana was saying as she took a bite of a fudge brownie.

"Bri, shut _up_," Brook laughed. "Will you be hear for the New Year's Party this year?"

"No, mom's dragging us to Aspen," Briana groaned, shaking her head apologetically.

"What about you, Jay?" Brook asked after a sip of milk.

"I wasn't aware of any party that I was invited too," he grunted, eyes dancing with mischief.

"I should whack you, but my brownie might fall and I can't risk that," Brook flashed back, smoky gray eyes bright as she watched Joe's drop. "Ew Joe, close it. I want to _eat_ my brownie, not _hurl _it up," she squealed, her eyes closed tightly feining disgust.

"You two are just so adorable," Briana chimed from the sidelines, smiling in satisfaction, dunking the corner of her brownie into the cup of milk that she owned.


	16. Happy Effin New Year

**_I'm sorry its short and I want to give big props to Ashleigh for giving me some good advice as well as encouraging me to right this chapter, which I had partially written from before, but didn't have any enthuasism to fill it up, which is probably why its a bit shorter than usual. But I'm working on the next chapter and ideas for a possible sequel which would describe the upcoming conflict even more._**

Chapter 15

Happy Effin New Year

_"Either dump the girl and date Tiffy or loose the record deal," _Veronica's ear piercing voice made Joe shudder from the encounter he had had only five minutes beforehand and she made it quite clear that she could get that done before the new year even started. Joe's fist curled and he shook it off, he'd fight for her, she knew that, but Nick woke up every morning with even more enthusiasm as they waited for Ted Davis to call with the news and Kevin, whoa, Kevin was always offering to do things and he was already writing new lyric ideas down and playing melodies. They had worked hard for this, but was Joe willing to give it up for Brook? Or vise versa, was he willing to give it all up for his band? Veronica's words haunted his mind until something that Brook had said entered his thoughts- No matter what happens, she would always be his biggest fan.

Joe saw the reassuring look that passed between Veronica and Tiffany and he knew that Veronica would go through with that promise, with a gulp, he scanned the ever busy room for Brook's petite figure, mahogany brown hair, and smoky gray eyes. He knew what he had to do. He placed his hand uneasily on her exposed shoulder and she turned with a bright smile, making Joe regret ever running into Veronica in the first place. "Hey, can we talk?" he mumbled, watching as her expression faded ever so slightly, a frown flickered at her lips before she nodded. Joe led her onto the deck and took a deep breath.

"Something wrong, Joe?" Brook asked quietly, knowing very well there was something bothering him as well as her when he had said what he did, she had made sure she lookd exceptionally well tonight and instead of leaving her wavy hair wavy, she flattened it and left it down, which made it harder for Joe, she tried and he knew it.

"Um, yeah," Joe nodding, over her shoulder he saw Veronica smirking in triumph. Stupid bitch. "I think...uh," he paused, completely blank.

"I get it," Brook forced a smile on her face as her heart ripped in two. "I should have listened when Briana told me Joseph Jonas never commited to more than two weeks. It was fun," she said shortly before grabbing the ring and shoving it into Joe's oustretched and confused hands before turning on one heel and walking away with more composure than Joe could ever imagine with Brook. Brook had had her heartbroken too many times, so she knew how to show heartbreak. To make it even worse, Princess was bounding after her eagerly, darting through peoples legs and yelping in excitement.

Joe just wished he could fade into the dark and never return or at least go get hit by a bus, he never wanted it to end like that or end at all. "Oh Joe, I heard about the breakup," Tiffany cooed, stepping to his side at Veronica's nudge and holding onto his arm. "I'm _so_sorry," her eyelashes fluttered wildly as she faked sympathy for the up and coming rockstar and right now, it was way more than he could handle.

He ripped his arm from her grasp and stormed inside, weaving his way through the drunken adults and halfway sober teenagers before he found himself sitting down in the kitchen, taking a sip of a water bottle that he had ripped open in complete bewilderment, what had he done?

"You were right, Bri," Brook said, her voice quivered as she left her best friend a message on her phone. "We...just call me back, kay?" she said softly, biting her lip before she hung up and pushed her phone in her desk before she stood up and walked outside and down the spiral staircase, returning to the party. She held her head up high and strutted through the throng of drunken adults.

"Hey B, I was looking for you," Diana smiled brightly, slipping passed a younger blonde with her arms flailing wildly. "The party's just getting started, where're you been?"

"Nowhere," Brook shook her head, wisps of her dark brown hair falling into her face and down the frontside of her strapless. "I'm not much a partier tonight," she said with a reassuring smile, all she wanted was to be left alone. Diana had seen that face before and she hugged her lifeless arm.

"Who dumped who?" Diana whispered, her blue eyes pools of sympathy as she watched Brook's face stay motionless.

"Please, not now," Brook answered gently, pulling her arm from Diana. "I'll tell you later," she promised. "But right now, I'd like to be left alone."

Diana nodded. "You want me to take Ces?"

"Do whatever you want with her," Brook spat. "I don't care."

* * *

Brook sighed as she leaned against the tinted window of the shuttle bus that belonged to Woodland Hills Boarding School, it had been requested that she come back to school two weeks earlier to participate in the riding exhibition with nine other students. She truthfully couldn't wait to be back, she stepped out of the bus as it screeched to a stop and thanked the bus driver mindlessly before she stepped towards the barn, well aware that her black slippers, dark jeans, strapless shirt, and maroon colored Hurley jacket.

She stepped into the dust filled barn and scanned for the familiar black head with snippets of white as though it had been accidental coloring and the fuzzy chestnut coloring head with a flaxen mane and a star. Brook whistled softly and more than a dozen heads popped up in reply, but only two horses replied, it was these two that kept her smiling, it would take some time to get used to Skylark, but she'll do it. Maybe even while practicing for the exhabition.

"Hey buddy, long time," Brook faked a smile as she rubbed Avatar's bobbing head before she turned to Lady. "Lady Bird," she shook her head. "Look at how big you've gotten," she smiled. "I'll take the both of you out later, promise. But for now, I've got to change."

Brook returned to her empty dorm room and groaned as she landed on Briana's bed, she got up with another annoyed groan and pulled out her leather boots from the closet. She threw her slippers off of her feet and grabbed some socks before carefully placing her boots on. She opened the door and stopped, it was the last person she wanted to see back at Woodland Hills.

"Remember when you told me that no matter what, you'll always be my biggest fan? What happened to that girl?" he pleaded, probably looking just as desperate as he felt.

Brook faltered and she slammed the door shut behind her as she passed him at a conciderably quick pace. "What're you doing here?" she snapped.

"Kevin's an assistant, remember?" Joe said bluntly. "But you haven't answered my question."

"I plead the fifth," Brook snarled, stomping down the stairs with furious steps.

"Brook, just listen to me," Joe yelped, his eyes wide with disbelief at the girl he thought he knew.

"Back off Jonas," Brook said before she quickened her pace and ran into the safety of the barn, throwing Avatar's door open, and throwing her arms around his awaiting neck. Brook wanted to cry, but nothing came in the expecting moments that passed. "God, Tar, it doesn't get any easier does it?" she sighed, desperately wishing that she could close her eyes and everything could disappear.

The midnight black gelding nudged her gently, snuffling at her pockets. "Nothing there, buddy, I'm sorry," she sighed, rubbing the nick of his ears. "I hope it'll get better soon."

* * *

Two Weeks Later

* * *

Mr. Purity himself would not abandon what he had, whether he was hurling to get away from Tiffany or was desperately trying to explain everything that had happened with his run-in with Veronica.

He missed the midnight bragades that Brook had, sneaking into his room with all of the light in the stars with a sly grin that told him everything.

Where to begin?

Ah, Joe's parents, they were confused and disappointed, but had no say in who their son dated, even if she was a fake blonde bitch that lost her virginity in the backseat of some drug dealers car. Joe's brothers were just the same, confused about the sudden break up and disappointed about the sudden hook up with Brook's step-sister. Brook ah, Brook...completely confused and ignoring Joe for all he was worth, even if he was in more than half of her classes. She was back at square uno.

"There was like, no clam chowder left," Chester grunted as he stepped through the room with a cup in hand, backpack securely (and nerdily) on his back. "So you owe me."

"Ches," Brook gave him the look she gave him everytime and he sighed in defeat, knowing his best lady friend was still hurting. Chester had even cut a date short with Maile to help comfort Brook, which defined a true relationship.

"You keep studying," he smiled warmly, giving Brook a half hug and walked back out.

Brook sighed before hunching back over her Physics book, writing down vocabulary, and memorizing important facts about Heat. The door opened again moments later to revealed Michelle and Nick, walking hand in hand. She stared at them, not really knowing what to say to either of them. Brook's schedule was the same everday and it seemed as though she saw the same people, excluding Michelle and her boyfriend, all the time.

Michelle spotted her and her sweetened face turned into confusion. "Hey B," she said quietly. "Do you want us to leave? We can go somewhere else if you want."

"No, I'm fine," Brook muttered, tapping her pen to the invisible beat of the darkened iPhone, one earphone rested in her ear, while the other hung just passed her covered belly button. "You can stay."

"What're you studying?" Nick asked curiously, walking over to peer over Brook's shoulder as her eyes darted from side to side, skimming the pages.

"Physics, it's the biggest pain in my ass right now," Brook groaned, driving her pen deep into the paper of the polka dotted composition book.

"Ouch, Joe says the same thing," Nick said without really thinking of the words until they came out.

"Forget it, I don't care," Brook snapped, she stabbed at the button until the screen on her iPhone lit up, exposing a picture of her and the raven haired boy grinning wildly. "Ugh!" she protested, quickly sliding the illuminated red button across the screen before she unpaused her music, droning out Nick's words of concern. "For all I care he can burn or better yet, I can fall off of Flight again."

That statement silenced the couple, their jaws immediately went slack, and their eyes grew wide. "B, c'mon," Michelle soothed. "Don't say stuff like that, you don't mean it."

Brook laughed coldly, "Of course I do, it's better than being stabbed in the back."

"B, guys come and go, but when they hurt you, drop them, move on, and say 'Next!'" Michelle offered a small smile, but got a frown instead.

"Brook, my brothers an idiot, I agree with you there," Nick piped up, choosing his words very, very carefully. "But he's just as upset as you are."

Brook scowled and stood up. "Thanks Dr. Phil." And with that, she stood up, shoved her things into her bag, and walked out.

"Don't take it to heart, Nick," Michelle sighed in defeat.

* * *

Tiffany made a point to rub it in Brook's face that everytime she would sit down or walk by, her hands would immediately fly to Joe's chest. Tiffany smirked when she saw Brook's lips curl or she would break eye contact and turn to her friends, purposely turning away for lack of pain. Joe stood up and strode towards Brook, "B, we gotta talk. Like, _now," _he ordered, placing his hands firmly on the table.

Brook simply continued her talk with Shayla Kipp and ignored the guy she thought she knew. Joe made it purposely loud when he slammed his palms on the table again. "Brook," he repeated, his eyes urgent and annoyed at Tiffany's shrill calling.

"Fuck off, Jonas," Brook scowled, her tone as icy as her eyes, barely making eye contact as she grazed over Joe's startled expression before she returned to Shayla.

"This whole fucking thing is a lie! A fucking lie!" Joe shouted, the cafeteria becoming silent. "Your fucked up step-mother _threatened_ me with my record deal."

Brook's eyes burned with pain as she felt them gloss over, her head slowly turned as if her neck were stiff from the bitter air that circulated outside. "And you actually believed her?" she questioned bitterly, her eyes narrowed and sharpened, making the petite girl look vicious, she laughed coldly as she stood up. "You actually believed her?" she repeated, motioning for her group of friends, including Chester, to remain still as she took small steps forward.

"Ha, Brookie!" Tiffany interjected with a smirk. "You just can't stand the fact that I _won._"

"Won what?" Brook exclaimed shrilly, shaking her head with complete disbelief. "If it's Joe, then yeah. Well guess what, I don't care anymore, ok? You won," she shrugged, then briefly stepped on the cafeteria seats before shouting out, "Hey everyone! Tiffany won!" she stepped down as she saw the color drain from her face. "Congrats," she nodded in mock approval.

"Brook --" Joe started.

"And to think I thought better of you," she whispered harshly into his face before rudely brushing passed him and walking with the same composure she had when he broke up with her, out of the cafeteria.

"Ah, Brook!" Mrs. Lee waved the annoyed, stiff walking girl over from her golf cart. "You've been excused from classes because it's Lady's time."

* * *

Brook was lying sprawled out in the hay loft while Mrs. Lee watched Lady closely, the mare was nowhere near foaling, but it was good to know that she was showing signs. "Easy Lady," Mrs. Lee soothed.

It hadn't been long when Ashleigh climbed the ladder into the hay loft. "Hey B, I heard what happened."

"I think people in Hong Kong could've heard us," Brook snorted softly, eyes drooped in one of the best naps she had had in a couple weeks.

"I called your dad and told him everything," Ashleigh smiled reassuringly. "He's trying to fix it."

"What's there to fix?" Brook shook her head, her face flat with dejection that could last a lifetime if she wanted it too. "It's all over."


	17. Never Again

**__**

I'm sad to say that this story will end on this chapter but its only...so I can start the sequel! Yay! Maybe earlier though. I'm still spacing it out as much as I can.

Chapter 16

Never Again

At 3:41 am on February 14, Lady Bird gave birth to a half Quarter Horse, half Appaloosa filly named Valentino, so far she was a flaxen chestnut, or sorrel, if you will, with four perfect stockings and a star.

Mrs. Lee went to her cottage almost everlasting ten minutes after that and told Brook that if she needed anything, she could call her or any of the teachers. Brook simply perched herself on Ashleigh's tack box and watched as the first descendant of the Kaytee linage took her first steps in the world. The sparkle in Valentino's eyes made Brook re-think her first impression on life's perspective and what it had to offer. There was only one chance to make everything seem as though you were living life to the fullest and sometimes, things could just disappear in the blink of an eye. Taken. Gone forever. Like Patricia Kaytee. _You see her mom?_ Brook thought. _She's got some nice conformation_, Brook thought mindlessly, running her fingers tiredly through her already knotted hair. _Definitely Lady's filly._

The tired and very familiar nicker of Brook's Brazilian bred gelding made the junior turn. "Hey Tar," she smiled, blinking as though life could flash before her eyes. "You're an uncle, how does that sound?"

Brook laughed, knowing Avatar would rather have a bucket of alfalfa cubes or a grassy pasture to be turned out into. "She's got something about her, you know," she murmured as she fiercely rubbed Tar's nose.

He nudged the girl before she sighed. "I'll go to bed soon, don't worry," she assured the stocky horse she loved. "I'm not going to exhaust myself for nothing." Especially if nothing is finding out your ex-boyfriend has been seeing your bitchy step-sister behind your back because you even bitchier step-mother threatened him. Completely normal, right?

Wrong. Completely and utterly **wrong**.

Brook sighed helplessly before she grabbed her phone and dialed her house number, she knew she'd be getting back at Veronica for waking her up this earlier from her beauty sleep, but it was all worth it.

"Hello?"

"Hi daddy," Brook said softly, fighting to sudden urge to burst into tears while on the phone with her father, she sat down on her tack box and leaned against the stall door, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Hey baby, I heard," Ted returned, using the most gentle voice he had, even if it was nearly four in the morning. "Are you holding up?"

"Barely," Brook whispered, hearing the faint rustling of all of the other horses that were boaded at Woodland Hills. "Lady had her foal. A filly."

"That's wonderful, sweetheart," Ted said warmly, his voice encouraging. "Future makins of a champion?" he teased lightly, knowing that Brook would take it to heart and end up focusing on training.

"Of course daddy," Brook nodded eagerly. "She'll be the next Avatar."

Ted Davis chuckled in amusement, his voice croaky and mustered as he sighed. "That's great news."

"I'll call you later, I just wanted to share the news," Brook said after an awkward silence had passed. "Kay, daddy?"

"Sure thing, sweetheart, g'night," he mumbled swiftly before hanging up the phone.

Brook sighed before climbing down and taking one last look at the desolate hallway in the barn before turning off the lights and staggering back to her dorm. It was where she saw a note taped to her door.

_Brook,_

_Please just let me explain, I want to explain everything to you. I didn't mean for any of this crap to happen. _

_Joe_

Without a second look at the note of desperation, Brook crumpled the note and threw it in the wastebasket on her way to bed.

"I don't think letting go is supposed to be this hard," Brook sighed before sinking onto her bunk.

* * *

Fast Forward-

The last days of school.

Pure heaven. Especially since Tiffany's been sent to school in England, stupid whore is probably as bossy as ever.

"B...Brook...Brooklynn!" Shayla shrieked, waving a quivering hand in her face. "Are you even alive?"

"I hope not," she mumbled, her face was buried in her hands which were lying flat on the table.

"Are you excited or what? It's the end of the year!" Michelle squealed.

"Whatever," Brook sighed. "Hey, I'll catch up with you guys later, kay? I need some air."

"Yeah, laters then B," Shayla nodded sympathetically as Brook walked away.

_The way we get loose,_

_We move our shoulders._

_Forward,_

_Head back._

_Get it in control like Janet Jack._

Brook glanced down at saw a familiar face as the Caller ID and shoved it back into it's pocket where it belonged.

_Shawty get loose,_

_Baby do what you do._

_Lemme see you let down your hair,_

_Shawty get loose._

* * *

**Sorry its so short, but I've started typing the first chapter. It should be up by tomorrow and its called Four Minutes, like the song, which by the way is extremely addicting! Thanks for reviewing and keep a lookout for Four Minutes!! I loved writing this story and I hope you aren't mad at me for making it short.**


	18. Note

Authors Note-

I've officially posted the sequel to SGL, called Four Minutes.

It's up and I hope you like it.


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